A New Instructional Technique Within Engineering Graphics Education and Its Effect on Spatial Ability

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Discipline-Based Research in Engineering Education

Abstract

Spatial ability has been shown to be an important part of successful engineering education and practice, however many engineering programs and even engineering graphics classes do not directly develop this ability (Sorby, 2009; Field, 1995). This paper reports on a study using an experimentally designed research procedure to examine the effect of Conceptual Design Blending (CDB) on spatial ability. CDB is a new approach to engineering graphics instruction rooted in art, Conceptual Blending, Bisociation, and Shape Blending, in which students creatively develop and model new designs that incorporate features of multiple pre-existing designs. Experimental Results indicate that the CDB intervention had a greater positive effect on students’ spatial ability than did traditional instruction.

Authors

• Sarah E Bell, Oklahoma Christian University of Science & Arts

• Wade Goodridge, Utah State University

• Benjamin J Call, Utah State University

• John DeVitry, Utah State University