A study of carpenter apprentices’ spatial skills

Abstract

Background: Spatial skills are crucial for carpentry and are a major learning objective in the initial vocational training of carpenter apprentices. Carpenters specifically need to develop the capability to switch between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) representations. Previous studies have explored spatial skills, but never in the context of vocational education and training (VET). This study sheds light on the level and evolution of spatial skills in the initial vocational training of carpenter apprentices in Switzerland. Methods: In this study, 726 subjects (98 females) who were either carpenter apprentices, apprentices of another profession, or high school students, took a test on spatial skills with three parts: mental rotation, paper folding, and orthographic projections. The first two parts are widely used tests for spatial skills, while the last one was specifically designed to address the 2D-3D transition that is a core skill of carpenters. Results: Carpenter apprentices do have higher spatial skills than would be expected given their general school level. In particular, their spatial skills were found to be similar to those of high school students and superior to those of apprentices of another profession. Carpenters' spatial skills improve over the course of their apprenticeship. These findings confirm that spatial skills are trainable and suggest that the high spatial skills level of carpenter apprentices is due to a selection bias as well as to the training that they receive during their apprenticeship. Conclusions: Carpenter apprentices improve their spatial skills over the time of their initial vocational training. As spatial skills are crucial in this profession, there is a need to develop further solutions that encourage further improvement of teaching and learning activities for spatial skills.

The Application of AR Technology to Spatial Skills Learning in Carpentry Training

“…In the previous study on spatial skills training, Uttal et al (2013) found that spatial skills were "moderately malleable and that training, on average, improved performance by almost half a standard deviation" [8]. This evidence also helps explain why well-experienced hand in furniture carpentry has obvious advantages in judgements and keenness of spatial views compared with beginners [9], in a result which is by long-term accumulation of experience in practice [6], [10], therefore, it has been proved that the promotion in judgements of spatial awareness is of tremendous help to furniture design and fabrication [2].…”

“…For beginners, the preliminary difficulty is 2D view judgements of furniture, lacking spatial senses of 3D subject and experience of mortice-tenon fabrication. It is difficult for 2D views' judgement in furniture making [2], finally influencing materials cutting and making errors in fabrication and assembling of mortice structures. Spatial views judgement is the primary technique for furniture fabrication learning in the course of furniture carpentry [2].…”

“…It is difficult for 2D views' judgement in furniture making [2], finally influencing materials cutting and making errors in fabrication and assembling of mortice structures. Spatial views judgement is the primary technique for furniture fabrication learning in the course of furniture carpentry [2]. Views judging and cutting of each timber component and laying of mortice-tenon structures are the first step to furniture fabrication learning, and it is necessarily to be applied in spatial structure and mental ability in geometry recognition.…”

“…Views judging and cutting of each timber component and laying of mortice-tenon structures are the first step to furniture fabrication learning, and it is necessarily to be applied in spatial structure and mental ability in geometry recognition. Yet in the making of furniture, 3D spatial views judgement and furniture making has a significant correlation with spatial ability [3], for it is required in furniture maker to translate 2D drawing into 3D vertical views through spatial ability [2]. However, in training of traditional furniture carpentry, learning spatial geometry usually demands students to generate and manipulate 3D mental images from 2D objects, and it may cause cognitive overload [4] and learning difficulties for some students [5].…”

Automotive Electrical Learning Module to Improve Students Interest and Learning Achievement of Vocational School

“…Yet, vocational education learns materials that are more specific. Stated that vocational education is an overall experience concept for every individual who learns for their success at workplaces [2] [3].…”