Focus Areas for 3D Learning Tasks

The 3D Ability Test (3DAT Online) currently consists of 12 sub-tests:

1. Building Representations
2. Dot Coordinate
3. Engineering Drawing
4. Fold / Unfold
5. Mental Cutting
6. 2D Mental Rotation
7. 2D to 3D Recognition
8. 3D Mental Rotation
9. Surface Development
10. True Length
11. 2D to 3D Transformations
12. Visualisation

These twelve tasks represent a range of design-related spatial activities such as rotation, technical drawing, and 2D to 3D visualisation among others.

For the development of effective learning tasks to support the 3DAT Online and improve spatial skills in novice designers, what are the focus areas or priority targets for such spatial learning tasks?

3D Learning Tasks

The Project Leadership Team is currently developing a series of 3D Learning tasks to improve spatial skills in students of design-based disciplines. To assist in our development of these 3D learning tasks we are posting the following question for comment:

• What are the characteristics of a good learning task?

Questions to kick-start the weblog

The Project Team are investigating several key issues surrounding spatial ability. In order to launch the weblog discussion and capture your thoughts on the topic, a number of questions are posed below for comment. The questions are central to the research and its various experimental phases. The research aims to capture industry perceptions of spatial ability in education and training through a series of interviews with academic and industry professionals. Combined with a review of the literature, this will lead to the development of a psychometric measure of spatial ability and also the development of learning tasks. Your response to the questions below will greatly assist in the development of this research. We value your input.

(i) How can we improve spatial ability?

(ii) What spatial skills are lacking in individuals entering the profession?

(iii) How can we measure spatial ability?

(iv) How important is spatial ability to designers and engineers?

(v) Can spatial ability be improved or is it an innate skill?

(vi) Is there a gender bias in spatial ability performance? Can it be addressed?

Project Manager.

Welcome to the Weblog

Welcome to the Weblog for the Spatial Ability Project being conducted by The University of Newcastle and project partners. This Weblog is designed as a forum to discuss spatial ability in the context of design-based education. We welcome your involvement.

Further information on this project can be obtained from the Project Website: http://psych.newcastle.edu.au/SpatialProj/index.html