Habilidades espaciales y competencias en Ingeniería Química

(Spatial skills and competences in Chemical Engineering)Spatial intelligence corresponds to one of the intelligences of the model proposed by Howard Gardner in multiple intelligences theory. The viso-spatial intelligence is considered as the ability to think and perceive the world in pictures. People who have this intelligence have a great capacity to think in three dimensions. This intelligence allows a person to perceive images, external and internal, recreate them, transform or modify them, and decode graphic information. Chemical engineering is a profession that is responsible for the planning, construction and operation of chemical and related plants. Chemical engineers must be competent in the use of space either in two or three dimensions, for this purpose they must develop the viso-spatial intelligence, because they must interpret and create planes, read and interpret data, design equipment and plants, understand the spatial connection between the different part of a process, etc. However, we found that our students do not possess the necessary skills to interpret and create drawings and models because in our Faculty of Chemistry no importance is given to the construction of models, equipment and prototypes. This is why the authors of this paper assign projects to four-student teams. The projects consist in designing an equipment that involves calculations and interpretation of graphics, drawings and models. The survey that students have answered indicates that as a result they have improved their visio-space skills.

ResumenLa ingeniería química es una profesión que se encarga de la planeación, construcción y operación de las plantas químicas y conexas. Los ingenieros químicos deben ser competentes en el manejo del espacio ya sea en dos o tres dimensiones, debiéndose así, desarrollar la inteligencia viso-espacial. Sin embargo, se ha encontrado que los estudiantes de los últimos semestres no poseen las habilidades necesarias para la interpretación y creación de planos y maquetas.