Comparing the Impact of 3D Printing and Sensory-Based Activities on the Representation of Multivariate Functions

This research compares the outcomes of two teaching methodologies for multivariate surfaces, their contour plots, and their algebraic expressions. The study involved two groups of first year engineering students. The first group contained 40 participants that followed a Technology – based methodology in which 3D printing was used to generate the three dimensional figures by introducing the algebraic equations into a design software. The second group contained 29 participants that followed a Multisensory – based methodology in which they segmented edible three-dimensional figures by actually eating them, therefore measuring and calculating contour plots and algebraic expressions. Students' performance was measured with an assessment that asked the participants to relate three dimensional surfaces with contour plots, and three-dimensional surfaces with algebraic expressions. Results were compared using a 95% confidence Fisher's exact test. The study shows that using multisensory based methodologies provide better results in students' learning due to the easy way to visualize and manipulate the layers that conform a three-dimensional figure. However, we suggest that a similar instructional design for using technology could improve observed results, which we state as future work for this research.