Work in Progress: Suitability of Spatial Visualization Training for Remote Learning

In this work in progress (WIP) describes the impact that a spatial visualization training app had on learning outcomes and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, classes with computer aided design (CAD) instruction had two challenges to overcome as people transitioned to remote or online learning. One challenge was that the remote nature of the instruction made it difficult for teachers to provide feedback to students as quickly as they did in a classroom setting while maintaining student engagement. The second challenge was the lack of student access to computers or technology necessary to run the CAD packages. To address these challenges, a number of middle school, high school and post graduate schools adopted for the first time the use of a freehand sketching and spatial visualization app that ran on smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks. Since the app automatically grades students' sketches and provides immediate feedback, it had the potential to increase student engagement during remote instruction. For many of these newly adopted courses, the use of the app resulted in an increased amount of spatial visualization instruction to compensate for the technical constraints and reduced capabilities to teach CAD. Due to the rush to switch to remote instruction, the courses that adopted the spatial visualization app were not part of a controlled study. However, the digital nature of the app allows for the quantification of data such as how many assignments the students completed in each module as well their performance on test questions. Furthermore, instructor feedback provides qualitative information regarding learning outcomes. In this study, student performance within the app as well as instructor perspective from a post survey is compared across grade levels to illustrate the suitability of the spatial visualization app for remote learning.