A, B, See. in 3D: A Workbook to Improve 3-D Visualization Skills (Synthesis Lectures on Engineering, Science, and Technology)

The workbook provides over 100 3D visualization exercises challenging the student to create three dimensions from two. It is a powerful and effective way to help engineering and architecture educators teach spatial visualization. Most of the 3-D visualization exercises currently being used by students in Design and Graphics classes present the objects in isometric views already in 3-D, asking the viewer to create multiple views, fold patterns, manipulate, reflect, or rotate them. The exercises presenting the objects in incomplete multiview projections asking the students to add missing lines use mostly real 3D objects that are more easily recognizable to help the student correlate 2D with 3D. This workbook uses a different approach. Each view of the solid represents a letter of the alphabet. The letters are by definition 2D representations and when they are combined to create a 3D object, visualizing it becomes quite a challenge. This workbook is intended for Engineering, Architecture, and Art students and faculty that want to increase their 3-D visualization skills.

In addition to its use in engineering and design education, this workbook’s 3-D alphabet-based visualization exercises have been reported by visual learners, including students with dyslexia, to support improved reading confidence. The book provides a three-dimensional approach to letter recognition that complements traditional spatial reasoning training.

Dan D. Dimitriu, PhD, P.E., is a tenured professor in SAC's Physics, Engineering, and Architecture Department and has been the Engineering Program Coordinator at San Antonio College since 2001. He has 21 years of teaching experience in post-secondary education, five years in academic research, and 23 years in private practice as a professional engineer. He has worked on research projects at North Dakota State University and holds also an MBA in International Economic Relations. He has managed several NSF and Department of Education MSEIP grants for SAC, and has been a co-PI for a NASA CIPAIR grant with the University of Texas at San Antonio and for an NSF CCLI grant with Wright University. He was elected Vice Chair of the Two Year College Division of ASEE in 2005 and was the recipient of 2006 NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award. He was also named "San Antonio’s Top Professor" by Scene in SA Monthly in 2006. In 2005 he was the only community college committee member and presenter for the "Enhancing Community College Pathways into Engineering Careers," a collaborative effort by the National Academy of Engineering's Committee on Engineering Education and the National Research Council Board on Higher Education and Workforce. Their final report described the evolving roles of community colleges in engineering education, identified exemplary programs at community colleges and model partnerships between two- and four-year engineering schools, and made recommendations for future research in this area. He has also made numerous presentations at the American Society for Engineering Educators Annual Conferences. Dr. Dimitriu is also coordinator for the Alamo Community College District's participation in NASA's Aerospace Scholars program and concurrently serves as the director for SAC's MESA Center. This workbook is a resultant of his leadership and expertise in developing curricula, coordinating engineering educational programs, years of teaching, and years ofprofessional practice.