Pedagogic Principles to Develop Design Students' Spatial Abilities in the Study Process (original) (raw)

The Effects of Design-Based Art Activities on Students’ Spatial Thinking Skills

International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 2025

This study was conducted to determine the effects of design-based learning (DBL) on students’ spatial thinking skills in architectural design education. Spatial thinking skills are of great importance in the architectural design process for architecture students to perceive and comprehend both the surrounding architectural spaces and the architectural product they design from different dimensions and perspectives. In order to gain this skill, DBL approaches based on a cooperative learning approach, which allow students to actively participate in the learning process, were applied. It was tested whether the DBL approach would increase students’ spatial thinking skills and develop skills, such as visual structuring skills, creativity, multidimensional and abstract thinking skills, imagination, problem solving, and multi-function execution. The research model is a pre-test-post-test control group quasi-experimental design. Data were obtained using the spatial thinking skills test. Based on the findings obtained as a result of the research, it was determined that the DBL approach applied in the color and texture course was effective on the spatial thinking skills of 2nd-year architecture students.

Understanding Spatial Ability in Interior Design Education: 2D‐to‐3D Visualization Proficiency as a Predictor of Design Performance

Journal of Interior Design, 2019

Spatial ability-the ability to represent, transform, and manipulate two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) information-is vital in solving everyday problems; however, compared to the well-known role of spatial ability in engineering or science, little is known about its role in interior design performance. In addition, the mismatch of reported male outperformance on general spatial ability tasks and absence of gender difference in design performance prompt questioning on whether interior design requires a specific type of spatial ability that general spatial ability tests may not sufficiently measure. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand the details of spatial ability and their relationship with students' interior design performance. In order to clarify the particular spatial proficiency required for interior design, the following test tools were used: (1) general spatial ability tests and (2) the Architecture and Interior design domain-specific Spatial Ability Test (AISAT), developed for this study. The spatial ability scores of 40 interior design majors at one university in South Korea were compared with the scores they received from three experts on design projects they completed. Results show that (1) 2D-to-3D visualization proficiency on the AISAT correlated with both the originality and three-dimensional quality of the design product, (2) 2D-to-3D visualization proficiency predicted both the originality and 3D quality of the design product, and (3) male outperformance was found only in general spatial ability. Results highlight the necessity to nurture 2D-to-3D visualization proficiency for the improvement of design performance in interior design education.

The Role of Spatial Ability on Architecture Education

Design and technology education : an international journal, 2020

Spatial ability is one of the most important key points for technical professions such as architects and engineers and is directly related with the success in educational and professional business life. In this regard, "Techniques of Architectural Presentation", a first semester architectural department course at Gebze Technical University, aims to provide these skills through a variety of techniques such as two-dimensional, three-dimensional representations and models. In this study, the contribution of this course on spatial skills were researched considering students' spatial experiences and innate abilities before architectural education. Pre-test and post-test research were applied and analysed with Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 18 software. The pre-test and post-test results have concluded that significant progression was seen between spatial visualisation-spatial perception and spatial orientation tests, while no significant progression was seen between mental rotation and spatial relation-mental rotation tests. The evaluation of the data indicates that the mentioned course is highly effective in the development of spatial skills in total and in the context of spatial visualisation and spatial orientation and the skills can be enhanced by training. Therefore, the syllabus of the course needs to be improved in terms of mental rotation and spatial relation.

EXAMINATION OF SPATIAL PERCEPTION CHANGE IN ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS

E-SCALA, 2023

Many definitions have been made on the concept of space that is encountered as architectural product. This concept has been discussed for many years and various ideas have been developed thereupon. In this regard, this study aims to investigate and brings up for discussion how spatial perception knowledge of architecture students and their interpretation skills of this knowledge have been changed in accordance with their education. In this study, the concept of space, architectural design education and perception are firstly examined. Following the literature review, in the context of topic, award-winning four educational buildings among the contemporary architecture works, which were constructed in and after 2008 are selected. Along with four questions and fourteen attributes identified in company with the findings obtained by the literature review, the students are ensured to evaluate four buildings selected within the scope of the study. The questionnaire participants consist of the students from first, second, third and fourth years in the department of architecture. In the study, when 1st and 2nd year-students are compared with the 3rd and 4th year-students, it is concluded that the 3rd and 4th years pay more attention to parameters, that they have more advanced material, design fundamental approaches and higher awareness level.

Experiences on the perception of two-and three-dimensional concepts in interior architecture education

Global Journal of Arts Education

In the study, at the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, Biruni University, in the 2019-2020 academic Fall Semester 1, in the scope of "introduction to Project 1" course, the applications of the students in the semester are discussed. During the implementation process, each student created original three-dimensional works based on the original works of Piet Mondrian. They have converted two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional works with utility elements such as cubes, rectangular prisms and bars, with model materials to be used in their chosen areas. In the last stage, they drew the top, front-back and right-left side facades of the three-dimensional works. As a result, the students experienced a process in which they gained self-confidence, were not afraid to experiment and achieved successful results without being within certain limits with their original design approaches in their first studio experience. It was seen that they grasped the importance of learning by seeing, creating alternative solutions with trial and error method, expressing visually and experiencing in studio work. They have obtained a useful studio experience in which they can draw, transfer what they see and develop their manual skills with the concepts of ratio, proportion, scale and perception with the studies done.

Impact of Descriptive Geometry on the Improvement of Spatial Abilities of Architecture Students

2022

Spatial intelligence is an important skill for students of technical faculties, especially those fields where the capacity for engineering thinking and creative expression is equally valued. The field of Architecture is emphasized here, and the issue of assessing the spatial abilities of architecture students and their improvement has often been observed. This paper will examine the impact of the course of descriptive geometry on the development of their spatial thinking, and whether there is progress between the initial spatial abilities with which students were enrolled and abilities after completing the first semester of study.

The Role of the Environmental Components of the Corridors of Educational Spaces in Increasing the Design Learning of Architecture Students

International Journal of Applied Arts Studies, 2023

The role of architectural education environment in teaching and learning is important in terms of improving the quality of education. Informal education, as an important part of education, often takes place in spaces outside the studio. Corridors, especially on the way to the studio, can be effective on students' design thinking in many ways, one of them is to increase the visual experience. which can be effective in the design process. The importance of place in education is considered as one of the dimensions of the hidden curriculum. This research is done with the aim of knowing the environmental components in educational corridors and knowing the effects of each of them. The mixed research method is nested qualitative in quantitative. In the qualitative phase, components from semi-structured interviews with university professors are conducted in the educational environment, then the components are categorized and extracted using the open and central coding system in ATLASTI software, then in the next phase, based on the components A questionnaire with a Likert scale is compiled and provided to students. The results are entered into the JMPSAS16 software and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that in the spatial dimension, the attractiveness component with the coefficient of determination (0.213) has the least contribution to students' learning, and the most related to the static space component. and movement with a value of (0.872) in the functional dimension of supporting activities with a value of (1.000) has the largest contribution to students' learning and the least is related to the type of furniture in the corridor with a coefficient of determination of (0.224) In the physical dimension, the bulletin board component with a value of (0.132) has the least effect on learning, and the dimensions of the corridors with a value of (0.952) have the greatest contribution to students' learning.

Ilic, Stavric (2014)_Developing Spatial Ability For Quality Engineering Education

ICGG2014 - Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Geometry and Graphics,, 2014

Spatial intelligence, a relatively new branch of psychology, only began to be more extensively explored in the 1970's, and its role and relevance in assessing human intelligence is still not fully understood. The results of a survey completed last year (Kell et al 2013) suggest a significant impact of this kind of intelligence on creativity and success in patients with high scores in general intelligence tests. However, how relevant can the level of spatial ability be when it comes to specific professions that require the same degree of development of both analytical and divergent thinking? Architecture is probably unique when it comes to this, since it necessitates competence in conver-gent thinking while insisting on a divergent approach to problem solving. Careful selection of candidates for the study of architecture will likely have a huge impact on their success during the study. The competencies required of prospective students are mostly based on the measurement of their ability and knowledge of mathematics, freehand drawing and spatial reasoning. Today's labour market requires much more of contemporary engineers. The recommendations of ENHSA – Euro-pean Network of Heads of Schools of Architecture (Spiridonidis 2006) – are aimed at defining the general competence of architects that relates more to the ability of synthesis of acquired knowledge rather than its acquisition ("learning to learn" ability, capacity to apply a spirit of synthesis of ideas and forms, personal and social skills in expression and communication through speaking, writing and sketching, etc.). For that purpose, Jami Shah (Shah 2005) defines the term the Designer Profile, which includes a while range of skills needed to create a successful engineer (Imaginative Thinking (IT), Lateral Thinking (LT), Problem Definition Skill (PD), Visual Thinking (VT), Qualitative Reasoning/Abstract Vertical Thinking (AVT)). Thus, it seems that creative thinking is just as important for a candidate's success as their ability of analytical reasoning. In addition to mathematics and freehand drawing tests, the spatial ability tests that have so far been used in university entrance tests generally focused on convergent thinking, with a single correct solution to the given task. To what extent are such tests successful in assessing the likelihood that a prospective student will excel in the study of architecture, which requires a comprehensive, creative and multilevel approach to problem solving? This paper offers a comparative analysis of the tests of spatial ability used in the architecture entrance test at the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering in Banja Luka in the last three years and of the matriculated students' achievement in a particular group of subjects during the first four years of study. Attention will be given to their overall academic achievement, along with that concerning in a group of subjects related to analytical thinking, and that concerning a group of design subjects requiring an integrated and creative approach. The results will show the relation between spatial skills and success in specific study areas of the educational profile of architects, and provide recommendations for upgrading the methods of improving spatial ability in order to provide more adequate competences of candidates. Further research should indicate the need to reassess the role of spatial ability at the university level, its role in the process of creative thinking, and should provide guidance for defining didactic meth

The Dynamics of the Psychological Approach in Designing Spaces: A Study of Architecture Students

Journal of Art Architecture and Built Environment, 2019

The psyche of human mind is best expressed through architecture and the interior design of buildings. No doubt, architecture and psychology are interconnected domains of human experience; while building design is the physical illustration of the creative perception of human psyche. Human interaction with the built environment prompts the senses to perceive and react to it in different logical manners, exemplified through unique spatial expression of every single designer. It has been observed that students as future architects, while tackling with the design projects, put forth their own spatial experiences of interaction with the built environment. For this reason, students of Bachelors in Architecture program at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan were interviewed informally to document their psychological approach regarding spatial thinking and translating it into architectural designs of varying quality. The findings acknowledged that the architectural ...

Comprehending the Psychosocial Characteristics of Space through an Elective Course: The Experience of the Body and Cognitive Mapping in Design Education

Journal of Design Studio, 2020

Architectural studio courses are structured for students to comprehend an existing urban fabric with its physical and social components for the purpose of solving a specific design. In this context, as students develop their conceptual ideas, they are also expected to assume probable interactions that are supposed to occur between users and space. However, students often face with difficulties in embracing the space with its psychological, social, and sensual dimensions and occasionally ignore these unseen parameters of space such as spatial perception, user needs, privacy, user satisfaction, and etc. In this regard, elective courses become essential in supporting the student's interdisciplinary comprehension of space. An elective course titled Spatial Perception and Cognition is structured with this intention to support the student’s interdisciplinary understanding of space both in theoretical and kinesthetic means. Thus, in the context of the course, the concept of space is not only introduced through theoretical seminars, but also through an experiential participation of the students themselves where they can actively perform daily activities by the guidance of a blind guide, in Dialog in the Dark which is a thematic dark environment where students experience various urban nodes through scent, sound, wind and texture. Upon completion of the experience, students are invited to a cognitive mapping session through which they reflected their spatial experiences grasped via their senses. In conclusion, cognitive maps show that when eyesight is eliminated, other senses also play a very important role in comprehending the sensual and psychological characteristics of space.