Raising the Bar? Longitudinal Study to Determine which Students Would Benefit Most from Spatial Training

Raising the Bar? Longitudinal Study to Determine which Students Would Benefit Most from Spatial Training____ University has been offering a course in developing spatial skills since 1993. Forthe first offering of the course, students were randomly assigned to the spatial skillscourse. For the next 1...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAssociation for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 22.1210.1
Main Authors Veurink, Norma L, Sorby, Sheryl A
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 26.06.2011
Subjects
Correlation analysis
Longitudinal studies
Mathematical analysis
Skills
Student retention
Students
Training
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Summary:Raising the Bar? Longitudinal Study to Determine which Students Would Benefit Most from Spatial Training____ University has been offering a course in developing spatial skills since 1993. Forthe first offering of the course, students were randomly assigned to the spatial skillscourse. For the next 15 years of its existence, the course was recommended to studentswho scored 60% or lower on the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R)during orientation and enrollment into the course was strictly voluntary. Retention ratesand grades in graphics and calculus courses were compared for those students who tookthe spatial training and those that did not, even though they “failed” the PSVT:R. Studiesfound the students taking the spatial training had significantly higher grades and retentionrates. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the spatial skills course was required of allengineering students who scored 60% or lower on the PSVT:R. During an analysis todetermine if requiring the training resulted in less significant positive impacts on grades,it was discovered the students taking the training had higher math and graphics gradesthan students who marginally passed the PSVT:R and thus did not receive the spatialtraining. This paper will describe a longitudinal study comparing the success of studentswith poorly developed, marginally developed, and well developed spatial skills.Variables to be examined include: grades in graphics, mathematics, and science courses,and retention rates.