Formal learning environments have struggled to introduce STEM content and STEM careers to students from underrepresented populations. This problem is exacerbated when dealing with students who live in rural areas where access to quality materials and instruction is limited. The eMentorship project is an innovative approach to mentoring that…

The current study examined the neural correlates of spatial rotation in eight engineering undergraduates. Mastering engineering graphics requires students to mentally visualize in 3D and mentally rotate parts when developing 2D drawings. Students' spatial rotation skills play a significant role in learning and mastering engineering graphics.…

The impact of spatial visualization ability on student outcomes in a freshman-level, 3D modeling class is explored by analyzing connections between students' spatial ability pre- and post-test scores, course grades, and self-reported difficulty of an assignment. Analysis of the results indicate that spatial visualization ability, as measured by…

Although the caseload of students with categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency has increased in recent years for secondary engineering design graphics teachers, the level of preparation to teach students with these characteristics has not. Given that teachers must develop inclusive classroom environments for all students, the…

Engineering programs need to prepare the next generation of engineering professionals for tackling sustainability challenges that impact the social, environmental, and economic progress of the nation. This paper describes how the sustainable design concept was integrated into a freshman-level engineering gateway course that emphasized creative…

This paper explains the design of a graphics-based virtual environment for instructing computer hardware concepts to students, especially those at the beginner level. Photorealistic visualizations and simulations are designed and programmed with interactive features allowing students to practice, explore, and test themselves on computer hardware…

Three Dimensional or 3D virtual reality has become increasingly popular in many areas, especially in building a digital campus. This paper introduces a virtual campus, which is based on a 3D model of The Tourism and Culture College of Yunnan University (TCYU). Production of the virtual campus was aided by Human Factor and Ergonomics (HF&E), an…

This paper discusses the formulation of educational outcomes for engineering graphics that span the global enterprise. Results of two repeated faculty surveys indicate that new computer graphics tools and techniques are now the preferred mode of engineering graphical communication. Specifically, 3-D computer modeling, assembly modeling, and model…

This study proposes an innovative solution to the problem of multiobjective engineering design optimization by integrating desktop VR with genetic computing. Although, this study considers the case of construction design as an example to illustrate the framework, this method can very much be extended to other engineering design problems as well.…

The objective of this study was to identify changes in dominant preferred learning styles of students based on instructional presentation of course content. This study evaluates dominant preferred learning styles of two groups of university students. The first group of students was enrolled in a course that introduces graphical representation in…

Spatial ability, which is positively correlated with retention and achievement in engineering, mathematics, and science disciplines, has been shown to improve over the course of a Computer-Aided Design course or through targeted training. However, which type of training provides the most beneficial improvements to spatial ability and whether other…

In this paper, results from a subset of the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test and a self-efficacy test developed by the authors are presented to determine whether certain object shapes, orientations, and types of rotations in standard spatial ability tests cause more difficulty than others and whether a solid object, which includes shading to…

Summarizes the digital engineering design process using software widely available for the educational setting. Points out that newer technology used in the field is not used in engineering graphics education. (DDR)

It is generally accepted that the ability to visualize is an important tool for engineers and technologists especially in engineering graphics. Enhancing the spatial visualization abilities of engineering students has long been a focus of engineering graphics educators. Over the years a variety of test and procedures have been developed to…

The results of a nonrandomized experiment indicated that the group of students who observed the static presentations of graphic images achieved slightly higher scores on the paper-and-pencil performance tests, whereas the group of students who viewed the dynamic presentations made greater gains on the mental rotation tests. (JJK)