Longitudinal Analysis of Spatial Ability over an Undergraduate Engineering Degree Program

Maxine Fontaine; Alexander John De Rosa

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Engineering Design Graphics Division Technical Session 1
Tagged Division: Engineering Design Graphics
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--34931
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/34931
Download Count: 393

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Paper Authors

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Maxine Fontaine Stevens Institute of Technology

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Maxine Fontaine is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. She received her Ph.D. in 2010 from Aalborg University in Aalborg, Denmark. Maxine has a background in the biomechanics of human movement, and she currently teaches several undergraduate courses in engineering mechanics. Her research interests are focused on improving engineering pedagogy and increasing diversity in engineering.

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Alexander John De Rosa Stevens Institute of Technology

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Alexander De Rosa is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. Alex specializes in teaching in the thermal-fluid sciences and has a background in experimental combustion. He gained his PhD in 2015 from The Pennsylvania State University in this area.

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Abstract

This research paper will compare the spatial ability of first-year and graduating students to determine whether spatial skills improve over the course of a 4-year engineering degree program. In addition, we investigate whether higher spatial ability leads to a higher overall GPA at the time of graduation. This work was initiated with support from NSF Grant #0833076. Spatial ability has been identified as a key indicator of success in STEM. Thus, students with low spatial visualization skills (SVS) are more likely to drop out of an engineering program. However, spatial skills can be improved significantly with focused practice. At our university, we have implemented a first-year program aimed at identifying and helping students with low spatial ability. Since women and underrepresented minorities (URM) have lower SVS on average, the intervention can help increase student diversity in addition to student retention. Spatial ability of all first-year engineering students is assessed by the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R) as a part of our engineering graphics course. Students who score below 70% are encouraged to attend extra-curricular spatial skills workshops. During these sessions, students complete activities and exercises to practice and develop their spatial skills. Generally, students who complete a short 4-week spatial skills workshop see a significant increase in test score, pre- vs. post-workshop. Average test scores increased from 54.4% to 68.7% in fall 2017 (N=42), and from 55.2% to 68.7% in fall 2018 (N=51). It is unclear whether these immediate gains in spatial skills are retained however. Do SVS require constant practice to be maintained? Do spatial skills continue to improve over the course of the engineering degree program? To address these questions, we compare the PSVT:R scores of first-year and graduating (senior) engineering students. Graduating seniors are further separated into two groups for comparison: participants and non-participants in the workshop as first-year students. Overall pass rates and average test scores among all groups are compared. In addition, we investigate whether higher spatial ability correlates to a higher overall GPA at the time of graduation.

Citation
Format

Fontaine, M., & De Rosa, A. J. (2020, June), Longitudinal Analysis of Spatial Ability over an Undergraduate Engineering Degree Program Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--34931

TY - CPAPER
AB - This research paper will compare the spatial ability of first-year and graduating students to determine whether spatial skills improve over the course of a 4-year engineering degree program. In addition, we investigate whether higher spatial ability leads to a higher overall GPA at the time of graduation. This work was initiated with support from NSF Grant #0833076.
Spatial ability has been identified as a key indicator of success in STEM. Thus, students with low spatial visualization skills (SVS) are more likely to drop out of an engineering program. However, spatial skills can be improved significantly with focused practice. At our university, we have implemented a first-year program aimed at identifying and helping students with low spatial ability. Since women and underrepresented minorities (URM) have lower SVS on average, the intervention can help increase student diversity in addition to student retention.
Spatial ability of all first-year engineering students is assessed by the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R) as a part of our engineering graphics course. Students who score below 70% are encouraged to attend extra-curricular spatial skills workshops. During these sessions, students complete activities and exercises to practice and develop their spatial skills. Generally, students who complete a short 4-week spatial skills workshop see a significant increase in test score, pre- vs. post-workshop. Average test scores increased from 54.4% to 68.7% in fall 2017 (N=42), and from 55.2% to 68.7% in fall 2018 (N=51).
It is unclear whether these immediate gains in spatial skills are retained however. Do SVS require constant practice to be maintained? Do spatial skills continue to improve over the course of the engineering degree program?
To address these questions, we compare the PSVT:R scores of first-year and graduating (senior) engineering students. Graduating seniors are further separated into two groups for comparison: participants and non-participants in the workshop as first-year students. Overall pass rates and average test scores among all groups are compared. In addition, we investigate whether higher spatial ability correlates to a higher overall GPA at the time of graduation.

AU - Maxine Fontaine
AU - Alexander John De Rosa
CY - Virtual On line
DA - 2020/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Longitudinal Analysis of Spatial Ability over an Undergraduate Engineering Degree Program
UR - https://peer.asee.org/34931
DO - 10.18260/1-2--34931
ER -