The Role of Spatial Skills and Sketching in Engineering Design Problem Solving
- Conference
- Location
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Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2024
- Start Date
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June 23, 2024
- End Date
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July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED)
- Tagged Topic
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Diversity
- Permanent URL
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https://strategy.asee.org/48133
Paper Authors
Gibin Raju
University of Cincinnati
orcid.org/0000-0003-2559-6931
Gibin Raju is a third-year doctoral candidate pursuing Engineering Education in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His research interests are focused on spatial skills, engineering design, cognitive stress, cognitive load, stem accessibility issues, workforce development, engineering pathways, STEM education, ID/ODD, and education practices.
Sheryl A. Sorby University of Cincinnati
Dr. Sheryl Sorby is currently a Professor of STEM Education at the University of Cincinnati and was recently a Fulbright Scholar at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Dublin, Ireland. She is a professor emerita of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mec
Abstract
Spatial visualization is the ability to mentally manipulate, visualize, and transform objects in one’s mind. Numerous research studies have reported that spatial ability is strongly associated with predicting success and retention in STEM-related fields such as math, engineering, computer programming, and science. Spatial skills are a critical cognitive ability for many technical fields, particularly engineering. Studies have shown the importance of free-hand sketching in the development of 3-D spatial skills. Similarly, sketching is an integral skill in the engineering design process, especially in the idea-generation phase. However, little work has been performed examining the link between spatial skills and the quality of sketches produced during the engineering design process.
There were two phases to data collection for this research. In the first phase, 127 undergraduate engineering students completed four spatial tests. In the second phase, 101 students returned to complete three design tasks. This paper examines the performance of the 17 low spatial and 13 high spatial visualizers on one of these tasks where individuals are asked to design ways for remote villagers to catch and use rainwater. Through analysis of the sketches produced by the students, initial insights indicate that there may be an association between the spatial skills of students and the quality of the sketches they produce for their engineering design solutions. These insights will be discussed relative to the potential influence of spatial skills and sketch quality on engineering education, specifically in developing design capability.
Raju, G., & Sorby, S. A. (2024, June), The Role of Spatial Skills and Sketching in Engineering Design Problem Solving Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://strategy.asee.org/48133
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