Measuring the Differences in Spatial Ability Between a Face-to-Face and a Synchronous Distance Education Undergraduate Engineering Graphics Course

Abstract

Engineering courses at the Brigham City Regional campus. Goodridge has has been teaching for the Utah State College of Engineering for more than eight years. He holds dual B.S degrees in industrial technology education and civil engineering from Utah State University, as well as an M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering from Utah State University. His research interests include metacognitive processes and strategies involved in engineering design using solid modeling, learning style impacts upon hybrid synchronous broadcast engineering education, and team teaching in broadcast environments.

Spatial Strategies Employed by Blind and Low-Vision (BLV) Individuals on the Tactile Mental Cutting Test (TMCT)

“…This study employed the tactile mental cutting test (TMCT) [22], [26], a test that was adapted from the MCT to be able to be used with people who access information nonvisually, such as those in the BLV community. A full description of the development of the TMCT is presented in a paper by Ashby and colleagues [26] and Goodridge and colleagues [22]. The original MCT was developed as a college entrance examination in 1938 [23].…”

“…Additionally, spatial ability has been correlated with success in STEM knowledge development and STEM professions [18]. STEM is an area of education that has low representation for BLV individuals [19]- [22]. Despite its importance in STEM and for BLV populations, little research has been conducted about the spatial ability of BLV individuals and the types of spatial strategies that are used by people in the BLV community as they solve spatially focused problems.…”