Professional Development
Gateways to Success in STEM: Sketching and Spatial Visualization
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST
The recording will be posted on this page after the live session. Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation. Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more
Spatial visualization (SV) is the ability to think in 3D. Did you know that up to 60% of students in STEM programs have weak SV skills? This skills gap can lead to difficulty in engineering, technology, and science classes which require proficiency with 3D thinking. Thankfully, studies have shown that SV skills are teachable and improve student outcomes in STEM fields. SV training is especially beneficial for women and other underrepresented populations that may have had less experience in playing with building toys as children and find themselves at a disadvantage when entering STEM fields.
Sketching 2D and 3D shapes is the recommended approach to improving SV skills. Sketching is also important for creativity, project-based learning, and teamwork. However, few curricula include this training, and many educators don’t know where to begin.
In this edWebinar, attendees will learn:
Best practices for how to easily incorporate SV and sketching training into any STEM class
How student persistence can be measured and increased with sketching assignments
How teachers can improve their own SV skills without learning CAD
How the Spatial Vis software, which is free for teachers, teaches SV with engaging sketching assignments, automatic grading, and personalized feedback
This edWebinar will be of interest to teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, CTE directors, and STEM coordinators and teachers at the middle school, high school, and higher education levels. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
About the Presenters
Lelli Van Den Einde, Ph.D. is a teaching professor in structural engineering at the University of California San Diego and Co-founder and President of eGrove Education. She incorporates integrated pedagogical innovations such as peer instruction, flipped classroom, and project-based learning into core structural engineering courses; prepares and advises next-generation faculty; advises student organizations; and is committed to activities that broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM and foster a supportive environment for diverse students. Her research focuses on engagement strategies for large classrooms and developing K-16 curricula in earthquake engineering and spatial visualization.
Lizzy Cowan has a cognitive science background and is the user experience researcher and designer at eGrove Education, Inc. She has been developing spatial visualization and sketching products for seven years and has a deep understanding of the unique challenges students face when learning these skills. She focuses on creating an engaging and personalized learning experience for students and valuable resources for educators. Additionally, she provides sales and technical support to instructors using the Spatial Vis software in their classrooms.