Research Article

An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems

Volume: 17 Number: 1 April 28, 2026
TR EN

An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems

Abstract

This study aims to examine the use of visual strategies by 7th grade students in visual pattern problems. A case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The study was conducted with 12 students enrolled in the seventh grade of a middle school. In the study, a data collection tool including 6 visual pattern problems was used. In the analysis of the data obtained in the study, the descriptive analysis method was used. It was determined that the students used the numerical explicit strategy the most while finding the rules of the patterns. In the study, it was observed that visual strategies such as constructive, transformative constructive, auxiliary constructive, deconstructive were used very little. Students mostly did not consider the structure of the shape in the shape pattern problems and tried to solve the problems by focusing on the numerical values in the visual. It was observed that students mostly reached the correct answers in solving the pattern problems. In line with the results obtained in this study, it is recommended that students focus on the structure of the shape as well as the numerical values in the visual patterns. It is also recommended that the strengths of these strategies be highlighted in order to encourage students to use visual strategies.

Keywords

References

  1. Akkan, Y., & Çakıroğlu, Ü. (2012). Generalization Strategies of Linear and Quadratic Pattern: A Comparison of 6th-8th Grade Students. Education and Science, 37(165), 104-120.
  2. Barbosa, A., Vale, I., & Palhares, P. (2012). Pattern tasks: thinking processes used by 6th grade students. Relime, 15(3), 273-293.
  3. Becker, J. R., & Rivera, F. (2005). Generalization an strategies of beginning high school algebra students. In Chick, H.L. ve Vincent, J.L.(Eds). Proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International. Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 4, pp. 121-128.
  4. Becker, J. R., & Rivera, F. (2006). Sixth graders’ figural and numerical strategies for generalizing patterns in algebra. In Alatorre, S., Cortina, J.L., M. Mendez, A. (Eds). Proceedings of the 28th Annual Meeting of The North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, pp. 95-101, Merida, Mexico.
  5. Becker, J. R., & Rivera, F. (2007). Factors affecting seventh graders’ cognitive perceptions of patterns involving constructive and deconstructive generalizations. In Proceedings of the 31st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 4, pp. 129-136). Seoul, Korea: The Korea Society of Educational Studies in Mathematics.
  6. Binbaşıoğlu, C. (1994). Genel Öğretim Bilgisi. Ankara: Kadıoğlu Matbaası.
  7. Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: Handbook I, the cognitive domain. New York: David McKay.
  8. Chua, B. L., & Hoyles, C. (2010). Teacher and student choices of generalising strategies: A Tale Of Two Views? 5th East Asia Regional Conference on Mathematics Education, Tokyo.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Other Fields of Education (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

April 14, 2026

Publication Date

April 28, 2026

Submission Date

August 1, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 13, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 17 Number: 1

APA
Temizel, A., & Özdemir, E. (2026). An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(1), 421-445. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1756088
AMA
1.Temizel A, Özdemir E. An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems. WAJES. 2026;17(1):421-445. doi:10.51460/baebd.1756088
Chicago
Temizel, Ayşen, and Ercan Özdemir. 2026. “An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17 (1): 421-45. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1756088.
EndNote
Temizel A, Özdemir E (April 1, 2026) An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17 1 421–445.
IEEE
[1]A. Temizel and E. Özdemir, “An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems”, WAJES, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 421–445, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.51460/baebd.1756088.
ISNAD
Temizel, Ayşen - Özdemir, Ercan. “An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17/1 (April 1, 2026): 421-445. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1756088.
JAMA
1.Temizel A, Özdemir E. An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems. WAJES. 2026;17:421–445.
MLA
Temizel, Ayşen, and Ercan Özdemir. “An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 17, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 421-45, doi:10.51460/baebd.1756088.
Vancouver
1.Ayşen Temizel, Ercan Özdemir. An Investigation of 7th Grade Students’ Use of Visual Strategies in Shape Pattern Problems. WAJES. 2026 Apr. 1;17(1):421-45. doi:10.51460/baebd.1756088