Drawing in a virtual 3D space - Introducing VR drawing in elementary school art education

Drawing is an important part of elementary school education, especially since it contributes to the development of spatial skills. Virtual reality enables us to draw not just on a flat 2D surface, but in 3D space. Our research aims at showing if and how this form of 3D drawing can be beneficial for art education. This paper presents first insights into potential benefits and obstacles when introducing 3D drawing at elementary schools. In an experiment with 18 children, we studied practical aspects, proficiency, and spatial ability development. Our results show improvement in the children's 3D drawing skills but not in their spatial abilities. Their drawing skills also do seem to be correlated with their mental rotation ability, although further research is needed to conclusively confirm this.