2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Rethinking Spatial Visualization Assessments: Centering Recognized Prior Knowledge in 2D/3D Curriculum Development

Presented at Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED) Technical Session 3

This paper is a critical review of literature discussing spatial visualization measurement in engineering learners. Building on our synthesis, we share our progress in developing a new spatial visualization assessment with the intent of recognizing the prior skills of learners in communicating abstract ideas in 2D/3D modeling.

DeBoer Lab has an existing design-based curriculum titled Localized Engineering in Displacement, or LED, where learners’ relevant local knowledge and skills are recognized as assets in their engineering learning. Our work in this paper contributes towards localizing the 2D/3D modeling modules by understanding how spatial visualization skills are measured and assessed. We bring together the frameworks of activity theory and culturally situated design tools to discuss how we address the gap in asset-based approaches in 2D/3D modeling curriculum development. Our work expands the area of spatial visualization development in graphics education as it is applied in engineering design, specifically for the scope of international contexts.

Authors

Yağmur Önder Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Yağmur Önder is a third-year undergraduate at Purdue University majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Global Engineering Studies. She's involved with DeBoer Lab in Engineering Education research where her work has involved engineering identity development and 3D modeling curriculum development.
Nrupaja Bhide Purdue University at West Lafayette (PPI) [biography]

Nrupaja is a PhD student at the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. She is interested in exploring how Indigenous Knowledges can be centered in STEM curricula.
Prof. Jennifer Deboer Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Jennifer DeBoer is currently Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on international education systems, individual and social development, technology use and STEM learning, and educational environments for
Dr. Dhinesh Balaji Radhakrishnan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6959-196X Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Dhinesh Radhakrishnan is a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University.

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