Spatial Reasoning
Enhancing spatial reasoning increases retention of women (and men) in the science and technology classroom.
Sheryl A. Sorby, Ph.D., explains how improving your female students' spatial reasoning skills increases their success in the technology classroom. The webinar includes a demonstration of Dr. Sorby's software, "Introduction to 3D Spatial Visualization: An Active Approach."
Please click here to access the webinar.
This exercise, in which students take slices of clay letters, was developed by a biology professor to enhance students' spatial reasoning without using challenging jargon or digital imaging.
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LeClair, Elizabeth, "Alphatome--Enhancing Spatial Reasoning," Journal of College Science Teaching v. 33 no. 1 (September/October 2003) p. 26-31. |
More than three-quarters of women who took an introductory spatial skills course were retained, compared to 48% of the women who didn't take the course. Find out what worked at one College of Engineering. See also the Spatial Reasoning Software developed by author Sheryl Sorby.
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Sorby, Sheryl, "Gender Differences in Spatial Reasoning Skills and their Effects on Success," The Michigan Tech Project: Phase 1--Initial Development, Michigan Technological University. |
For more than 50 college students, playing Tetris for a total of 6 hours improved mental rotation time and spatial visualization skills in women and men.
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Reprinted from Okagaki, Lynn; Peter A. Frensch, "Effects of video game playing on measures of spatial performance: Gender effects in late adolescence," Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Volume 15, Issue 1, Pages 33-58, Copyright (1994) with permission from Elsevier. |
Many female engineering students lag behind their male counterparts in 3-D visualization, which is critical to engineering. The authors explain why and recommend solutions. See also the Spatial Reasoning Software developed by author Sheryl Sorby.
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Medina, Afonso and Helena Gerson and Sheryl Sorby, "Identifying Gender Differences in the 3-D Visualization Skills of Engineering Students in Brazil and in the United States," International Conference on Engineering Education, 1998. |
