Difficulties of Student Teachers in the Engineering Graphics and Design Course at a South African University: Snapshot on Sectional Drawing

Background:Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) is a course that teaches a medium of communication in the form of drawings. EGD is a courses taken by student teachers in the technology teacher education programmes.Materials and methods:Purposive sampling was used to select 40 students, enrolled for the Bachelor of Education: 15 students were in their third year and 25 in their second year. Questionnaires method to student teachers, classroom observation and focus group interviews with students were carried out.Results:The results showed that students have a poor EGD background; experience difficulties in understanding sectional drawing; lack understanding of sectional drawing principles; and lack knowledge of 2D/3D sectional drawing. Students perform poorly in the spatial visualization test, which is the basis for competence in EGD course. Lecturers lack adequate pedagogic practices to effect adequate understanding of sectional drawing among student teachersConclusions:It is recommended that more attention be paid to line-work and that spatial visualization exercises be emphasized during teaching, using Piaget’s perception of imagery theories. Specific subject didactics of technology subjects should be strengthened with these topics in order to prepare efficient and quality teachers of EGD and related subjects.