SPATIAL VISUAL ABILITY AND INTERIOR DESIGN THE INFLUENCE OF ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION ON ITS DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Spatial visual ability (SVA) is defined as the mental ability to understand, modify, and manoeuvre 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional data. It is a crucial skill for tackling common design problems, yet it remains largely overlooked in non-Western educational contexts. This longitudinal study examined the development of SVA in undergraduate interior design students (n=38-58 per group) over 2 years (2022-2024) at a Design College, India. It aimed to understand the influence of academic instruction on the spatial visual abilities evaluating the students with an 8-item assessment tool adapted from AISAT V.2. The assessment tool focused on the 4 sub-constructs of SVA – mental rotation, conversion of 2D to 3D information, domain specific conversion of 2D to 3D information and vice-a-versa. Participants were categorised into 6 groups under 2 cohorts. Welch’s t-test compared the scores on the 8-item assessment tool at varying curriculum stages. Results exhibited stable student performance overall (p>0.05 for most items), with marginal improvements observed in domain specific conversion of 2D to 3D information. Certain declines indicated potential curricular gaps or ceiling effects due to the assessment tool’s limited sensitivity. Findings reveal that academic instruction in the current interior design curriculum retains the spatial visual abilities of the students over time, instead of significant growth. Targeted pedagogical interventions and validated assessments are required to refine SVA within emerging design education contexts.