&lt;p&gt;Drawing the Line: The Challenges of Dysgraphia in Introductory Graphics Communication Courses&lt;/p&gt;

Daniel P Kelly,Deidre L Kelly

doi:10.21061/jots.v45i2.a.2

Abstract

Drawing and sketching require the close interaction and coordination of psychomotor and biomechanical processes with developmental, learning, and maturational processes to perform the complex and fine motor behaviors of these activities. Dysgraphia is a learning disability that directly impacts a student’s ability to perform these tasks proficiently, if at all. Although dysgraphia is literally interpreted as “bad writing,” it also affects a person’s ability to visualize and draw lines and shapes. STEM subject matter and activities often involve drawing and sketching, and this ability to transfer mental imagery to paper and viceversa is one predictor of STEM education and career success. Given this, there may exist a population of students who are being overlooked and would benefit from a better understanding of the condition by educators and potential interventions that can be researched to engage these students within STEM disciplines. This paper will explore this learning disability as is exists in STEM education through a narrative case study involving a student currently enrolled in an engineering program. This case study is designed to understand the condition of dysgraphia and the barriers to STEM education as perceived and experienced by a student successfully mitigating these barriers through assistive technologies, self-advocacy, and teacher awareness. This paper is meant to raise awareness of the condition in our field and serve as a starting point in the literature where this topic currently represents a dearth of the academic discourse surrounding special education in STEM.

Highlights

Sketching and drawing are critical components of many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula
The ability to quickly sketch, label, annotate, and dimension freehand drawings are a part of the engineering design process and crucial to the ideation, externalization, and communication of ideas, concepts, and designs throughout both the education and career domains of STEM professionals especially those in technology and engineering disciplines where design and problem solving are prevalent
The ability to sketch three-dimensional objects is identified as a significant factor in the development of spatial skills, which is a significant predictor of success in engineering graphics coursework and a student’s persistence through an engineering degree (Ernst, Williams, Kelly, & Clark, 2017; Sorby, 1999)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Sketching and drawing are critical components of many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula. Given the importance of sketching and drawing to technology and engineering curricular pathways–and career choice–understanding barriers to sketching ability is important if they are to be mitigated by instructors and curricula designers This is especially imperative if there is a goal of broader diversity and inclusion within STEM disciplines. Dysgraphia interferes with students’ ability to learn, complete coursework, communicate, record ideas, demonstrate knowledge, and keep up with peers and teacher instruction This interference can create or exacerbate deficits in emotional, academic, and social development and affect factors related to educational motivation, achievement, and persistence such as a self-efficacy, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression in students (Berniger & Wolf, 2009; Martins, et al, 2013).

METHODS

Background