The effect of cognitive flexibility on students’ spatial visualization abilities and computational thinking skills in a three-dimensional design and coding training

ABSTRACT

Aim and background

Today, students are encouraged to develop spatial visualization ability to meet the challenges of digital technologies impacting their daily life and education when exposed more time to a virtual 3D environment. This study investigated the effect of cognitive flexibility levels on students’ spatial visualization abilities and computational thinking skills in three-dimensional design and coding training. In addition, this study examined the effect of the training on the spatial visualization abilities and computational thinking skills of the students.

Method

The study employed a one-group pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. A total of 60 university students (51 female and 9 male) participated in this study. University students received three-dimensional design and coding training by using Tinkercad. The Spatial Visualization Test, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, the Computational Thinking Scale and semi-structured interview form were used to collect data. Paired samples t-test and one-way ANCOVA were used for the data analysis.

Results and discussion

Results from the training indicated that the students’ spatial visualization abilities improved. Their spatial visualization abilities and computational thinking skills were related to their cognitive flexibility levels. The training also improved the spatial visualization abilities and computational thinking skills of students with high cognitive flexibility. 3D design and coding education could be more effective for students with high cognitive flexibility. The qualitative findings supported the results of the study.

KEYWORDS:

• 3D design and coding
• spatial visualization ability
• computational thinking skill
• cognitive flexibility
• Tinkercad

Acknowledgments

The author(s) contributed to and have approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

Data is available on request due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

Ethics

All procedures of the research, including data collection, analysis, and manuscript writing processes, were executed following the principles of the university’s ethical committee unit and the Declaration of Helsinki. Research data were obtained from students voluntarily through an online questionnaire. Students’ personal information was not used or shared other than for research purposes. Informed consent from the participants was obtained before the data collection process.