Unfolding learning difficulties in engineering drawing problem solving

ABSTRACT

For several engineering disciplines, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, architectural engineering, and others, engineering drawing (ED) is a mandatory subject. Problem solving in engineering drawing requires a complex integration of knowledge and spatial abilities. However, students don’t automatically learn these problem solving skills within the standard engineering curriculum. Identification of learning difficulties is a primary step in designing teaching-learning aids for students and teachers. While some learning challenges have been reported, there are fewer studies on identifying learning difficulties in solving these from the students’ and teachers’ perspectives. In this paper, we investigate the students’ difficulties in solving the engineering drawing problems. Here we present qualitative studies focusing on students’ learning difficulties in different engineering problem solving contexts, including data collected from five cohorts of novice learners, advanced learners, and ED teachers. The qualitative analysis of the data resulted in identifying the difficulties that students have while performing ED problem solving tasks. The identified difficulties were mainly related to knowledge deficits and challenges in performing higher order cognitive tasks. Data analysis helps to elaborate on these difficulties and discuss the relationships among them. We also discuss the implications of our results on teaching-learning of ED problem solving.

KEYWORDS:

• Engineering drawing
• learning difficulties
• qualitative analysis
• spatial visualization skill
• mental rotation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical clearance

We received ethical approval for this research paper from the Educational Technology Department of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India. This approval ensures that we followed ethical guidelines and protected the rights and well-being of the participants. Before the study, all participants gave their written consent to take part.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kapil Kadam

Kapil Kadam is a researcher in the area of Educational Technology. He completed his Ph.D. in Educational Technology from IIT Bombay, B.E., and M.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering from Shivaji University. He has offered a MOOC course on IITBombayX about the Fundamentals of 3D Visualisations. He has conducted several faculty development programs (FDPs) across India for active learning, ICT in education, flipped classroom, online teaching, blended learning, educational technology research, and content delivery. His research interests include - Educational Technology, Development of Spatial Skills, Computer Science Education Research, Machine Learning, Teacher Training, Engineering Drawing, E-Learning. In addition to the research, he is a Blender enthusiast and has conducted several Blender training workshops for teachers and students in India. These workshops focus on the basics of 3D modeling, 3D animation, and 3D visualisation using Blender.

Shitanshu Mishra

Shitanshu Mishra is an EdTech and learning scientist and currently working as a research scientist at IIT Bombay. He studied computer science at the Bachelors and Masters level before moving to educational technology. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He is interested in unfolding learners’ complex thinking processes during decision making and problem-solving tasks via a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. He is also interested in synergistic learning of STEM, CS, and Thinking Skills. More details are available at Shitanshu’s homepage: www.shitanshu.info

Sridhar Iyer

Sridhar Iyer has been a faculty member at IIT Bombay since 1999. Currently he is a Professor in the Educational Technology Programme, while earlier he was with the Dept of Computer Science & Engg. His current research interests include: Technology enhanced learning of disciplinary practices, Teacher use of educational technologies, and Computer science education research. Prior to Educational Technology, he worked in wireless networking protocols and mobile applications. Sridhar Iyer received the ACM India Outstanding Contribution to Computing Education Award in 2020, the AECT International Contribution Award in 2019, and Excellence in Teaching Award at IIT Bombay in 2016 and 2013. He is also the President of the EdTech Society in India. More information is available from his webpage: www.cse.iitb.ac.in/

Anurag Deep

Anurag Deep is a researcher in the area of Educational Technology. He completed his Ph.D. in Educational Technology from IIT Bombay. He designed and developed a Technology-enhanced learning environment Geneticus Investigatio (GI), that focused on supporting problem-solving skills in undergraduate bioscience learners. His research and practice interests include Educational Technology, E-Learning, STEM education, Biology Education Research, Technology Enabled Learning of Thinking Skills, Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Systems Thinking, Game-based Learning, Teacher Training, and Curriculum Development. He has offered a MOOC course on the Swayam platform on Designing Learner-centric E-learning in STEM disciplines. He has also conducted several faculty development programs (FDPs) across India for online teaching, active learning, ICT in education, flipped classroom, blended learning, educational technology research, and content delivery.