Impact of dynamic graphics on mental rotation of 3D objects with undergraduate students of varying levels of spatial ability

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of dynamic graphics on mental rotation of 3D objects with undergraduate students of varying levels of spatial ability. Used in this study was a 3 X 3 factorial, true experimental design with an immediate and delayed posttest. A sample of 272 undergraduate students from a Midwestern university participated in this study. The participants in the study had their spatial ability measured by a prior knowledge stratifying pretest and then were randomly assigned to one of three instructional strategies. The experimental groups received instruction with interactive 3D (I3D) animation or instruction with video, while the control groups received instruction with static graphics.;No significant differences in participant's immediate posttest scores were found between the different instructional strategies when comparing the static graphics and text (SGT) group, I3D group and video (V) group. It was observed that the participants in the I3D instruction scored higher than the participants in the SGT and V instruction. When comparing each of the instructional strategies subdivided by spatial ability, no significant differences were found. Participants of high spatial ability in the I3D condition scored higher than participants in the SGT and high spatial ability (HSA) groups. Participants of medium spatial ability (MSA) in the I3D condition scored higher than participants in the V and SGT medium spatial ability groups. Participants of low spatial ability in the SGT condition scored higher than participants in the V and I3D low spatial ability (LSA) groups.;No significant differences in participant's delayed posttest scores were found between the different instructional strategies. The participants in the I3D group did score higher than those in the V and SGT groups. When looking at each of the instructional strategies subdivided by spatial ability, no significant differences were found within. Participants of high spatial ability in the I3D condition scored higher than participants in the SGT and V high spatial ability groups. Participants of medium spatial ability in the I3D condition scored higher than participants in the V and SGT medium spatial ability groups. Participants of low spatial ability in the V condition scored higher than participants in the I3D and SGT low spatial ability groups.;The means scores difference for the instructional groups indicated that there was a drop in scores for the SGT group and an increase in scores for I3D and for the V groups. When subdivided by spatial ability only two of the nine groups showed a drop in scores SGT-LSA and I3D-MSA. The difference for the remaining groups showed increases that were SGT-HSA, SGT-MSA, I3D-HSA, I3D-LSA, V-HSA, V-MSA and V-LSA.;From a follow-up interview with nine participants in the study, three theme comparisons emerged that help to describe the cognitive processing that was experienced by these nine participants in all three instructional strategies. The three theme comparisons identified were • internally engaged versus externally engaged, • connection versus disconnection, • recall versus revert. The emergent themes along with the quantitative results provide insight into the multiple impacts that dynamic graphics can have on mental rotation of 3D objects with undergraduate students of varying levels of spatial ability. It is suggested that practitioners carefully consider the learning outcome along with learner characteristics when planning to use various media as instructional strategies. Special considerations should be made for prior knowledge of the learner, instructional time, cognitive load, and multiple instructional strategies.