DEVELOPING SPATIAL VISUALIZATION THROUGH PARAMETRIC MODELING IN MECHANICAL DRAFTING AND ENGINEERING GRAPHICS EDUCATION
Keywords:
Engineering graphics, mechanical drafting, parametric modeling, spatial visualization, CAD, orthographic projection, AR/VR, graphic literacy, pedagogy, generative AI.Abstract
This article examines the pedagogical transformation of mechanical drafting and engineering graphics education through the integration of parametric modeling, spatial-visual reasoning, hand sketching, augmented visualization tools, and carefully scaffolded artificial intelligence support. The study argues that engineering graphics should no longer be treated as a narrow technical subject devoted only to accurate drawing, but as a cognitive, representational, and design-oriented domain in which students learn to translate between 2D and 3D forms, encode design intent, interpret manufacturing logic, and communicate technical decisions across digital environments. On the basis of recent international research, the article develops an IMRaD-structured analysis and proposes a hybrid instructional framework that combines manual projection work, explicit teaching of spatial strategies, parametric CAD modeling, AR-assisted visualization, and reflective assessment. The synthesis shows that software access alone does not guarantee conceptual understanding, while purely traditional drafting approaches cannot fully address the digital competencies required in current engineering practice. The most productive model is a sequenced hybrid pathway in which sketching, orthographic reasoning, constraints-based modeling, immersive verification, and guided digital reflection reinforce one another. The article discusses the scientific rationale, methodological structure, assessment criteria, and implementation conditions of this model.
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