Skill Levels on Visualization and Spatial Reasoning in Pre-service Primary Teachers

Abstract

We apply theoretical tools from the onto-semiotic approach to present skill levels on tasks requiring visualization and spatial reasoning. These scales are derived from the analysis of visualization and spatial reasoning skills involved in solving a questionnaire supplied to 400 pre-service primary teachers. In order to set skill levels, we describe different types of cognitive configurations considering the network of mathematical objects involved in solving the items. The results show that there may be several configurations at each level and the levels depend on both certain conditions of the task and the visualization skills required. In most cases, the ratio of students expressing high level is significantly below than those of exhibiting low level. The analysis manifests that students put into play variety and quantity of visual objects and processes; however, most did not reach the solution successfully. This leads to the need for specific training actions.

Active learning strategies for an effective mathematics teaching and learning

“…Students can rely on existing structured or daily-use materials or solve tasks that imply the construction of a model, falling within the scope of hands-made activities. In this paper we highlight PF tasks, as a useful teaching tool that enables a diversity of skills (e.g., communication, problem solving, connections, creativity, and proof), with specific impact on the understanding of geometry, particularly spatial orientation (Blanco et al, 2019;Boakes, 2009), but also number concepts (e.g., fractions). The actions involved in folding a paper allow its transformation into different shapes, two or three-dimensional, opening the opportunity to discover relationships of different nature.…”

“…In this way, PF can be a hands-on, dynamic, creative and challenging strategy to approach several concepts in mathematics, facilitating visualization and problem solving (Vale et al, 2020). It is undoubtedly an active learning strategy, as it involves students intellectually, in the sense of the cognitive challenges it provides, and physically, because it requires auditory abilities and visual stimuli, and it is through these actions that it also involves spatial skills, promoting the construction of meanings and ideas (Blanco et al, 2019;Vale et al, 2020).…”

Educational LPTK, Non-educational LPTK, and Non-LPTK Students' Intention to Become Teacher

“…The curriculum developed is able to be a platform to develop pedagogical, professional, personality, and social competencies. Based on the draft curriculum of teacher and college training institutions, one of the skills that must be trained to teacher to improve their teaching competencies is teaching skills [40]. Therefore, through the various processes that have been carried out, students of the Chemical Education Program can grow the interest to become teachers when compared to students of LPTK chemistry program and non-LPTK.…”

Visualising relativity: assessing high school students’ understanding of complex physics concepts through AI-generated images

“…In this sense, to grasp these counterintuitive concepts, great reasoning skills are required, embracing more abstract and flexible conceptions of reality. Visualization skills are crucial for abstract reasoning [5] and, students' many difficulties with the visualization of relativity phenomena [6,7] presents a challenge for educators. In this context, research on students' visualization abilities is essential for a deeper understanding of the theory.…”