A New Way to Help Students Improve 3-D Visualization

There is ample evidence that instruction in spatial visualization skills is effective in improving outcomes for engineering students. Research conducted since the early 1990’s has proven that spatial visualization practice and training leads to better grades in engineering graphics and in most other engineering coursework. Other studies demonstrate that improved 3D visualization skills improve retention and graduation rates in general and, in particular, the retention and graduation rates of underrepresented groups in the field of engineering. The exercises described below offer a new method of challenging students to create three dimensions from two. These exercises are a powerful and effective way to help engineering and architecture educators teach spatial visualization. Most of the 3-D visualization exercises currently being used by students in Design and Graphics classes present the objects in isometric views already in 3-D, asking the viewer to create multiple views, fold patterns, manipulate, reflect, or rotate them. Exercises present the objects in incomplete multi-view projections, and ask the students to add missing lines. They use mostly real 3D objects that are easily recognizable to help the student correlate 2D with 3D. This new method uses a different approach. Each view of the solid represents a letter of the alphabet. The standard multi-view projections of the object present only the letter contours. The viewer must visualize the object in 3D and complete the views by adding all the missing visible, hidden, or center lines. The letters are by definition flat, with 2D images, and when they are combined to create the standard views of a 3D object, visualizing the object becomes quite a challenge. This new method was used for over eight years with demonstrated success for students with a wide variety of visualization skills. It is intended as a tool to help Engineering, Architecture, and Art students and faculty who want to increase their 3-D visualization skills.