Integration of Spatial Visualization Tasks to Enhance Students’ Levels of Geometric Thinking following the Van Hiele Model: A Basis for the Development of a Definitive Guide in Geometry

Abstract

Students who have the ability to manipulate shapes in free play situations, such as building, solving spatial problems, drawing two and three-dimensional objects, exploring shapes through physical actions, describing shapes from different perspectives, and fitting shapes together are commonly observed to have a more advanced level of Geometric thinking. From this perspective students’ level of geometric thinking is associated with spatial visualization ability. Hence, the study was conducted specifically to develop a definitive guide integrating spatial visualization tasks to enhance students’ level of geometric thinking following the van Hiele model of instruction. The pre-experimental research design was employed with a definitive instructional guide as the final output of the study. The subjects of the study consist of one intact class of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics who are enrolled in Math 213c (Solid Geometry) during the first semester of the school year 2015-2016 purposively selected for the study. The instructional guide contains instructional plans which include worksheets, activity sheets, and homework sheets integrating students’ spatial visualization tasks. All materials which were developed in the study were subjected to face and content validation through several subject area specialists. The findings reveal that there are remarkable changes for both the students’ level of geometric thinking and spatial visualization ability. It can be concluded that the integration of spatial visualization tasks is effective not only in improving students’ spatial visualization ability but also effective in assisting students raised their van Hiele level and preventing them drop their van Hiele level.