Exploration of Spatial Ability in Descriptive Geometry Course among Mathematics Education Students at Universitas Negeri Jakarta
Aris Hadiyan Wijaksana (a), Yaya Sukjaya Kusumah (a)

a) S3 Pendidikan Matematika, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Abstract

This research is motivated by the low spatial ability of students in the Descriptive Geometry course, which is one of the essential skills for Mathematics Education students. Referring to Maier^s (1998) theory of spatial ability, which categorizes spatial ability into dynamic mental processes (visualization, mental rotation, and spatial orientation) and static mental processes (spatial relations and spatial perception), this study aims to explore the spatial abilities of students attending the Descriptive Geometry course. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach, with the course conducted over 16 sessions and tests administered in the 8th and 16th sessions, followed by in-depth interviews. The results show that students who struggled with the tests tend to lack spatial perception, spatial relations, and spatial orientation abilities. However, there is a case where a student, despite making mistakes, demonstrated good spatial perception, relations, and orientation abilities. A new type of spatial ability, referred to as spatial projection ability, was discovered, which had not been previously identified. This discovery highlights the need for further in-depth research to explore spatial projection ability.

Keywords: Descriptive Geometry- Spatial Ability- Spatial Projection Ability

Topic: Mathematics