2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Exploring the Relationship Between Spatial Ability and Undergraduate Student Performance in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Courses

Presented at Student Challenges and Belonging

This systematic review examined the relationship between undergraduate students' spatial ability and their performance in chemistry and chemical engineering courses. Two research questions guided the study: (1) What types of spatial ability are explored in the literature? and (2) What is the established relationship between spatial ability and course performance? Studies were included if they were published in English between 2000 and 2025, involved undergraduate students enrolled in a chemistry or chemical engineering course, administered a spatial test, and reported a relationship between spatial ability and chemistry performance measures such as exam grades or course grades. A keyword search across Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ASEE PEER, supplemented by forward and backward snowballing, identified 20 eligible articles. Studies were coded and analyzed to identify patterns across spatial skills, assessment tools, and performance outcomes. Of the 20 studies, 14 (70%) reported positive correlations between spatial ability and course performance. Three-dimensional mental rotation was the most studied spatial skill (85% of studies), and the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations was the most used assessment tool (60%). Findings are limited by the concentration of studies in organic chemistry and a single institution representing all thermodynamics research. These results highlight spatial ability as a meaningful predictor of undergraduate chemistry and chemical engineering success, suggesting that curricula should explicitly incorporate spatial skill development to improve student outcomes.

Authors

Priya Balasubramanian Pillai http://orcid.org/https://0009-0006-2209-242X University of Cincinnati [biography]

Priya Pillai is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Science ,and currently serves as a Research Assistant at the Department of Engineering and Computing Education at the University of Cincinnati. She is passionate about understanding how students experience learning in chemistry and chemical engineering fields and is dedicated to contributing to initiatives that improve education from the inside out. As she embarks on her academic journey, Priya is eager to explore both the technical aspects of chemical engineering and the broader impact of education in shaping the next generation of engineers.
Anne Hong http://orcid.org/https://0009-0004-6909-3388 University of Cincinnati [biography]

Anne Hong is an engineering education PhD student in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science. She holds a BS in biomedical engineering and an MS in health informatics with a focus on data analysis and biostatistics from Rutgers University. Anne has been an instructor at the college level for over 6 years, teaching and facilitating a variety of courses for undergraduate students including physics, biology, and engineering economics. Her research interests are focused on examining how teaching pedagogy and curriculum designs in undergraduate introductory and pre-requisite engineering courses impact performance in upper-level engineering coursework.
Dr. So Yoon Yoon http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1868-1054 University of Cincinnati [biography]

Dr. So Yoon Yoon is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati, OH, USA. Dr. Yoon received her Ph.D. in Gifted Education and an M.S.Ed. in Research Methods and Measurement with a specialization in Educational Psychology, both from Purdue University, IN, USA. She also holds an M.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics and a B.S. in Astronomy and Meteorology from Kyungpook National University, South Korea. Her work centers on elementary, secondary, and postsecondary engineering education research as a psychometrician, data analyst, and program evaluator with research interests in spatial ability, STEAM education, workplace climate, and research synthesis with a particular focus on meta-analysis. She has developed, validated, revised, and copyrighted several instruments beneficial for STEM education research and practice. Dr. Yoon has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings and served as a journal reviewer in engineering education, STEM education, and educational psychology. She has also served as a PI, co-PI, advisory board member, or external evaluator on several NSF- and NASA-funded projects.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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