Analysis of Blended and Multi-modal Instruction and its Effects on Spatial Visualization Ability

Abstract

For the last decade, remedial spatial visualization training has been offered to first-year engineering students in traditional classroom settings where students attend class and interact face-to-face with an instructor and peers. An alternative to the traditional pedagogical approach is a multi-modal blended learning format that combines in-class instruction with videos that can be viewed at the student’s convenience. The new setting affords students the opportunity to repeatedly revisit the basic instruction at the time and place of their choosing. This case study investigated student outcomes in a blended multi-modal Introduction to Spatial Visualization course that integrated video lectures; free-hand sketching techniques, sketching outdoors, Computer-aided-design (CAD) instruction, and 3D printed artifact manipulation. There was a statistically significant improvement on two (pre-to-post) spatial measures and performance on a drawing task.