Students Visual-Spatial Ability in Representing Single Cell Epidermis of Rhoeo discolor leaf
H Azalia, A Rahmat, and E Nuraeni

Program Studi Pendidikan Biologi, Sekolah Pasca Sarjana, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Abstract

The one of the way to study plant anatomy was taught by observation from microscopic object and represented visual-spatially. This study was focused on students visual spatial ability in representing single cell epidermis of Rhoeo discolor leaf. It was conducted with 44 undergraduate students who presently enchanting Plant Anatomy. Data was collected using visual spatial worksheet and questionnaire. Students was representing cell in three activities: (1) visual representation of two dimentional (2D) on transverse, longitudinal and paradermal incision of epidermis cell; (2) visual representation of three dimentional (3D) that represents three types of incision; and (3) spatial representation by constructed 3D model of single cell based on microscopic observation. Several types representation of the plant cell structure was observed. There are significant correlation between students ability to representing microscopic object in 2D to 3D (r=0,504;p<0,05) and representing 3D to 3D model of cell (r=0,460;p<0,05), but there is no significant correlation between students ability in representing 2D to 3D model of cell (r=0,288;p>0,05). The result shows, there is scaffolding correlation between visual representation ability to spatial representation ability. Several factors are supposed to affect the correlation between students visual spatial ability will be explain further in this article.

Keywords: visual spatial representation, visual spatial ability, 2D, 3D, plant anatomy, microscopic, observation

Topic: 5. Biology Education