Making connections: improving spatial abilities with engineering drawing activities

Spatial thinking is essential for scientific thought; it is used to represent and manipulate information in learning and problem solving (Clements & Battista, 1992). It is also required in many intellectual endeavors such as solving problems in engineering, design, physics and mathematics (Smith, 1964; Pellegrino, Alderton & Shute, 1984). Enhancing students' spatial abilities is one of the roles of geometric activities. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends "the mathematics curriculum for grade 58 should include the study of the geometry of one, two, and three dimensions in a variety of situations, so that students can visualize and represent geometric figures with special attention to developing spatial sense" (NCTM, 1989). However, such is not the case. Current geometry curricula do not provide enough opportunities for the development of spatial ability (Usiskin, 1987). Moreover, in many schools geometry is delayed until the end of the school year (Hoffer & Hoffer, 1992) or eliminated (Porter, 1989).