Work in Progress: Review of Working Memory, Spatial Ability, and Spatial Anxiety in Engineering Problem-Solving

One often overlooked barrier to engineering education and subsequent careers is spatial ability. Underdeveloped spatial abilities can hinder student success in prerequisites such as calculus and physics and further courses in the engineering curriculum [1]. In this paper, we review the literature on working memory, spatial abilities, spatial anxiety, and the relationships between them while focusing on the context of engineering problem-solving. Spatial ability is part of a hidden curriculum: it is relevant in engineering education but not explicitly and consistently acknowledged or explained by instructors. In the novice state, learners frequently call upon spatial thinking for problem-solving. With experience gained, learners become more familiar with discipline problem types and rely less on their spatial strategies. Experts' accumulation of disciplinary knowledge allows the generalization of algorithms and rules, which enable problem solutions without any mental spatial manipulations. Many engineering educators are unaware of their expert blind spot. This literature review aims to synthesize spatial abilities, spatial anxiety, and how they interact through working memory to affect engineering problem-solving. One often overlooked barrier to engineering education and subsequent careers is spatial ability. Underdeveloped spatial abilities can hinder student success in prerequisites such as calculus and physics and further courses in the engineering curriculum [1]. In this paper, we review the literature on working memory, spatial abilities, spatial anxiety, and the relationships between them while focusing on the context of engineering problem-solving. Spatial ability is part of a hidden curriculum: it is relevant in engineering education but not explicitly and consistently acknowledged or explained by instructors. In the novice state, learners frequently call upon spatial thinking for problem-solving. With experience gained, learners become more familiar with discipline problem types and rely less on their spatial strategies. Experts' accumulation of disciplinary knowledge allows the generalization of algorithms and rules, which enable problem solutions without any mental spatial manipulations. Many engineering educators are unaware of their expert blind spot. This literature review aims to synthesize spatial abilities, spatial anxiety, and how they interact through working memory to affect engineering problem-solving.