Laboratory Activities to Develop the Geometric Reasoning

Year 2018, Volume: 9 , 250 - 260, 18.08.2018

Marcele Da Sılva Santos Neide Da Fonseca Parracho Sant'anna

Abstract

A set of activities designed to foster geometric
thought of students in the 2nd grade of junior High School (8th grade of elementary
school in Brazil) is presented here. The activities were proposed to students
of a public school. The learning was supported by teaching resources as
Tangram, Geoboard and Bending. The activities, interdisciplinary, realistic and
playful, were carried out in the Laboratory for the Teaching of Mathematics.
The activities were performed in groups organized in such a way to enhance the
interaction between students of different levels of knowledge. A test to check
the van Hiele level of students was applied before and afterwards. The
evaluations of the results of the tests reveal advances in the van Hiele level.
The proposal applied to an experimental group provided an environment conducive
to meaningful learning. It must be pointed that it also increased students
confidence and stimulated them to develop continuity for the acquisition of new
knowledge.

Keywords

Mathematical education, Van Hiele theory, Geometry, Meaningful learning

References

• Ausubel, D. P. (1961). Meaningful Learning and Retention: Intrapersonal Cognitive Variables. Review of Educational Research, 31, 500-510. Crowley (1984). The van Hiele Model of the Development of Geometry Thought In Lindquist, M.M. & Shulte, A.P., Learning and Teaching Geometry. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Resbon-VA. De Villiers, M. (2015, Jan 10). Research evidence on hierarchical thinking, teaching strategies and the Van Hiele Theory: Some critical comments. University of Stellenbosch: Rumeus, General format. Retrieved from http://math.kennesaw.edu/~mdevilli/VanHieleCritique-87.pdf. Fouz, F. & de Donosti, B. (2015, May 8). Modelo de Van Hiele para la didáctica de la geometría: Un paseo por la geometría. General format. Retrieved from <http://cimm.ucr.ac.cr/ciaem/articulos/universitario/materiales> Jaime, A. (1993) Aportaciones a la interpretación y aplicación del Modelo de Van Hiele: La enseñanza de las isometrías en el plano. La evaluación del nivel de razonamiento. D. Sc. Thesis, Universidad de Valencia, Spain. Nasser, L.Using the van Hiele theory to improve secondary school geometry in Brazil. (1992). D. Sc. Thesis – London King's College, University of London, London. Skovsmose, O. (1994). Towards a critical mathematics education. Educational Studies in Mathematics. (25), p. 35-57. Tomaz, V. S.; David, M. M. How students' everyday situations modify classroom mathematical activity: the case of water consumption. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 46 (4), 455–496. Van Hiele, P. (1986) Structure and Insight: A Theory of Mathematical Education. Academic Press. London. Vargas, G. V. & Araya, R. G. (2013). El modelo de Van Hiele y la enseñanza de la geometría. Uniciencia, 27(1), p. 74-94.