The creative technologies project: will training in 2D/3D graphics enhance kids' Cognitive skills?
Mark L. Merickel · T.H.E. Journal Technological Horizons in Education · 1990
When industry, higher education and public schools collaborate on projects involving new technologies, everyone comes out a winner. Such was the case when Autodesk, Inc. of Sausalito, Calif., Oregon State University and the Novato Unified School District in the San Francisco bay area worked together on the Creative Technologies Project. Project Details The Creative Technologies Project is designed to give children an opportunity to develop and amplify certain cognitive abilities: imagery, spatial relations, displacement and transformation, creativity, and spatially related problem-solving. Developed by this author, the project's premise is that one way to enhance these cognitive abilities is to have students develop, displace, transform and interact with 2D and 3D computer-graphic models. The goal is to determine if specially designed 2D and 3D computer-graphic training would enhance any, or all, of the aforementioned abilities. Twenty-six students between the ages of nine and eleven from the Olive Elementary School in Novato, Calif. participated. The students were divided into two groups. The first used microcomputers (workstations) equipped with AutoSketch and AutoCAD software. The other group worked with an emerging technology called cyberspace. Training in Computer Graphics Students in the workstation group were instructed how to use 386-based microcomputers running MSDOS to develop and manipulate computer-graphic images. The workstations were equipped with VGA-graphics displays and two-button mice. Students were supplied instruction booklets, developed by this author, that guided them through six different computer-graphic projects. The first project introduced students to AutoSketch by having them draw a happy face. The second was a figural-completion task (based in part on the E. Paul Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking). Third was a sequential story-building task. The fourth problem included puzzle-building and spatial problem-solving tasks (based in part on the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Test by Likert and Quasha). The fifth problem was pattern development and construction (based in part on the Differential Aptitude Test-Space Relations by Bennett, Seashore and Wesman). The sixth was the construction, displacement and transformation of 3D images on a 2D display device. A cyberspace system is designed to operate as if the user were virtually within the system. From the outset, students in the workstation group were enthusiastic and eager to begin. In fact, most were so over-anxious that they would not take the time to follow the instruction booklets. It appeared that these children, like most, were accustomed to using computers with drill-and-practice programs or games. However, with some coaching and patience they started to follow the instruction booklets and were soon developing their happy face drawings. After completing their drawings, the students would often look at each others drawings and discuss how they performed various drawing functions. They began to talk to each other in a new technical language: How did you make that arc curve down? I just picked the third point below the second; and Why don't you just make a copy of that part and re-scale it larger? These young students were beginning to understand and appreciate the power of computer graphics. And as they completed more of the projects, their skills improved. In fact, some of the students got together during their free time and used the graphics and text functions in AutoSketch to develop a prototype Olive Elementary School Newspaper. Other students began developing very sophisticated graphic puzzles. When the puzzles were completed, they would use AutoSketch editing commands to take them apart. Once apart, they would re-assemble them in various rotations. There was no shortage of creativity with this group. …