Use mobile devices to developing strategies to improve
spatial abilities
Abstract
Advances in technology, user interfaces and recent developments in the
field of communications (Wi-Fi, GPRS, 3G, etc.), have created a wide
range of possibilities for users and for the design and access to learning
contents.
This thesis attempts to harness the opportunities for mobility and the new
user interfaces that handheld touch screen devices offer, in a non-formal
learning context, with a view to offer intensive courses to improve spatial
skills of engineering students with the greatest difficulties in this area.
With a view to developing spatial ability, this research has addresses:
• New tools and new formats: SketchUp and touch-screen mobile
devices,
• New contexts: distance education, and
• User satisfaction.
This work is structured around two main priorities, differentiated by the
medium used and connected by its temporal development:
1. They develop two field studies with first-year engineering students, a
first study using SketchUp software and another with an interactive
web application called "Building with blocks”. These two works are
shown effective in improving spatial skills.
2. These results allow us to approach the design of new materials touch
screen mobile devices. Two types:
• An interactive web content (2D), optimized for iPod Touch. This
research has addressed two endpoints: first of all, to analyse the
effects that training can have on spatial visualisation using the
educational content developed for this pilot study; and second, to
evaluate the experience of users in the use of handheld touch screen
devices and their degree of satisfaction with the on-line learning
course proposed.
• The purpose of this project was to design a 3D construction mobile
game for 3D spatial visualization training, with the aim of
familiarizing users with a 3D environment and improving their
understanding of the 2D-3D relationship. This paper describes the
architecture of the system that we developed, which includes