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Geometry 1

Geometry is defined as the study of spatial objects and their properties, encompassing both 2D and 3D figures. It is crucial for understanding the world, enhancing communication, and developing logical reasoning skills, making it an essential part of education. The document emphasizes the importance of spatial sense and geometric reasoning in grasping external relationships and visualizing shapes.

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3 views

Geometry 1

Geometry is defined as the study of spatial objects and their properties, encompassing both 2D and 3D figures. It is crucial for understanding the world, enhancing communication, and developing logical reasoning skills, making it an essential part of education. The document emphasizes the importance of spatial sense and geometric reasoning in grasping external relationships and visualizing shapes.

Uploaded by

jessica
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mathematics Education 2

EMMU 3780

GEOMETRY
2
05/14/2025
WHAT IS THE CONCEPT GEOMETRY?
• “Is a network of concepts, ways of reasoning and
representation systems used to explore and analyze
shape and space” (van de Walle et al., 2013, p.402).
• Generally, geometry is the study of spatial objects
and the relations between those properties (Atebe,
2008).
• According to van Hiele (1986, p.60) geometry is
seen as “a science or as a form of study in which we
(as teachers) have no concern for space, nor for
geometric figures in space, but (rather) only the
relations between properties of those figures”.
05/14/2025
WHAT IS THE GEOMETRY?
• Geometry is the visual study of the sizes,
shapes, patterns and position of both 2D and
3D figures.
• Geometry is occurring in all cultures, through at
least one of the following five (5) strands of
human activities:
1- Building/structures (building/repairing a
house, laying out a garden, making a kite,….)
2- Machines/motion (riding a bike, sawing a
board, swinging, …)
05/14/2025
WHAT IS THE GEOMETRY?

3- Navigating (how do I get from here to there,


using maps,…)
4- Art/patterns (designs, symmetries,
representations,…)
5- Measurement (how small is it, how far is it,...)
• This geometry is known as the Euclidean
geometry – it is the mathematical system that
was developed by a Greek mathematician,
Euclid of Alexandria, around 300 B.C.

05/14/2025
WHAT IS THE GEOMETRY?
• The Euclidean geometry that is taught
in Namibia, South Africa and other
countries is plane geometry and it
investigates the properties and
relationships between plane figures
(2D shapes bounded by straight lines
or curves, examples??)

05/14/2025
IMPORTANCE OF EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY
• According to Clements and Battista (1992,
p.420), understanding geometry is an important
mathematical skill since the world in which we
live in is “inherently geometric”.
• As a school subject, geometry is very important
as it helps learners to represent and make sense
of their world, and also provides perspectives
for developing learners’ deductive reasoning
abilities and acquisition of spatial awareness
(NCTM, 1989).
05/14/2025
IMPORTANCE OF EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY
• Sherard (1981) explains why geometry is a basic
mathematical skill and why it should be taught in
schools through these 7 reasons:
1- Geometry is a basic skill because is an important
aid for communication
2- Geometry has an important applications to many
real-life contexts
3- Geometry has important applications to many
topics in basic mathematics
4- Geometry provides a valuable mathematical
background for further education
05/14/2025
IMPORTANCE OF EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY
5- Geometry is a basic skill because it is part of
the cultural heritage of humanity
6- Geometry, like mathematics, provides a
context for developing learners’ logical
reasoning
7- Geometry enhances the “development of
learners” spatial perception and
understanding”
(Atebe, 2008, p.29-30)
05/14/2025
Spatial sense and geometric reasoning
• Is the ability to “grasp the external world” (NCTM,
1989, p. 48).
• Van de Walle et al., (2013) defines spatial sense as
“an intuition about shapes and relationships
between shapes and is considered a core area of
mathematical study like number” (p. 403).
• It includes one’s ability to visualize mentally the
objects and their spatial relationships.
• It means a person with well-developed spatial sense
appreciates geometric form in art, architecture and
nature.
05/14/2025
Spatial sense and geometric reasoning

• Spatial sense consists of the following


components mostly essential for enabling
learners to grasp the world and to develop
mathematical thinking:
1- Spatial ability – the ability of a person mentally
to create geometric images and then manipulate
these images in mind
2- Spatial visualization – a learner’s ability to
understand and perform the imagined
movements of objects in 2D and 3D space (Atebe,
2008).
05/14/2025
Spatial sense and geometric reasoning
• Spatial orientation—the ability of learners to
recognize a given geometric shape viewed
from different positions (Atebe, 2008). As
children discover their surroundings, they gain
experiences helping them to understand the
relative positioning and sizes of shapes and
figures (Buys, 2005)
• Spatial perception—a learner’s ability to
perceive (be it in the imagination or senses)
and manipulate geometric objects (Atebe,
2008).
05/14/2025
Spatial sense and geometric reasoning
• Spatial conceptualization—an umbrella
term that describes the totality of a
learner’s understanding of spatial objects.

05/14/2025
GEOMETRIC REASONING (thinking) AND CONCEPTS

• Geometry is universally regarded as the most


disliked and difficult school subject by many
learners (Atebe, 2008, Hoffer, 1981).
• As a result of this, different researchers
provide insights into the differences in
geometric thinking and how to tackle this to
assist learners’ geometric thinking
development.

05/14/2025
Van de Walle’s main ideas on Geometry

1. What makes shapes alike and different can be


determined by geometric properties.
2. Shapes can be moved in a plane or space
3. Shapes can be described in terms of their location
in plane or space. This can be done through using
the coordinate system
4. Three dimensional shapes can be seen from
different viewpoints and this helps us to
understand relationships between 2D and 3D
figures and mentally change size and position of
shapes (p. 402).
05/14/2025

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