Spatial ability in high school students

Abstract

Spatial ability is a skill necessary in a number of disciplines, particularly in engineering education, the focus of this research. This study reviewed literature regarding the development of spatial ability and considered possible implications not only for engineering education but also for mathematics education, with specific regard to geometry. The focus of this study was to observe the differences in spatial ability among high school students in PreAP Geometry and students in an Introduction to Engineering Design course. We hypothesized that the students who were enrolled in both courses would have better spatial ability skills than those students who are solely enrolled in the geometry course. Of the 207 students enrolled in geometry at the test school, there was a maller population (n=57) simultaneously enrolled in an engineering graphics course. No direct or special intervention was given to either group of students; however, the curriculum between the two classes differed greatly. Near the end of the academic year all students were administeredthe Purdue Visualization of Rotations test (ROT). Results showed that students enrolled in the engineering design class performed better than those students not enrolled in the course. Furthermore, the males outperformed the females when all students were considered. However, there was not a significant difference among the males, nor was there a difference between males and females within engineering. Further research is needed to understand these particular differences and to determine how geometry education plays a role in the development of spatial ability. © 2012 American Society for Engineering Education.