Spatial reasoning skills are strongly correlated with success in engineering and computer science, especially at the introductory levels. Sometimes this is due to the spatial nature of the tasks, but more often it is because professors, texts, and peers use diagrams, figures, and spatial terms and ideas to help explain complicated but not intrinsically spatial concepts. Thus, many students, who didn’t develop these skills before coming to college, are at a disadvantage.
This is a student-taught class, geared towards students who are interested in computer science or engineering, or thinking of taking a class on a related subject during their time at UVa.
We have designed this class to be both instructive and fun. We will meet once a week for an hour, to discuss Spatial Reasoning topics and engage in hands-on activities. We hope this class is enriching and entertaining.
We will cover a broad range of topics, including, but not limited to, sketching, object rotations, reflections and symmetry, cross sections of solids, solid combinations, spatial relations, and spatial orientation.
Paul Halmos, a brilliant mathmetician, once said, "The best way to learn is to do". In this spirit, we have prepared several engaging, hands-on activities to ground our lessons in experience. Each activity we have included in our plans directly connect to spatial reasoning concepts, and have been shown to drastically improve spatial skills.
These activities will include drawing, sketching, modeling, interacting with mazes, and even playing video-games!