Comparison of Online Versus Paper Spatial Testing Methods

• Published in: Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 26.381.1
• Main Authors: Veurink, Norma L, Hamlin, A J
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 14.06.2015
• Subjects: Colleges & universities; Curricula; Engineering; Engineering education; Learning management systems; Skills; Students; Test procedures; Visualization
• DOI: 10.18260/p.23720

Comparison of On‐line versus Paper Spatial Testing Methods Spatial visualization skills have been shown to be critical to the success of engineers and engineering students, and the assessment and remediation of those skills is growing in engineering curricula across the country. At ______ University, spatial skills of freshmen engineering students have been tested with the use of the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R) since 1993. This test has traditionally been administered with paper tests where students record their answers on a scantron form. Due to changes in university computing resources in the 2013‐2014 academic year, the opportunity arose to test the freshmen through a Learning Management System (LMS). In the fall of 2014, over 450 of the engineering freshmen were administered the PSVT:R with the traditional paper test method, while approximately the same number took the test through the LMS. Testing half of the students with each method allowed for a comparison to be made between the two testing methods. Although students are told not to make marks on the paper version of the test, several students do so. Testing students on‐line removes this opportunity to make marks and may also reduce students’ use of other tactile motions in solving the rotational problems. This paper will compare scores from the paper version of the test with scores on the on‐line version of the test to determine if students perform equally on the on‐line and paper forms of the test. Because spatial test scores are related to intelligence, Math ACT scores of the two groups will be compared to determine if there are differences between the two groups. These analyses will also be performed by gender and ethnicity.