RESEARCH PAPER
Use of the van Hiele Theory in Investigating Teaching Strategies used by College of Education Geometry Tutors
 
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1
Department of Mathematics Education, University of Education, Winneba, GHANA
 
2
Management Information Systems, School of Applied Sciences, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, Mersin 10, TURKEY
 
 
Online publication date: 2019-01-31
 
 
Publication date: 2019-01-31
 
 
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2019;15(4):em1694
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which 11 selected mathematics tutors facilitate the teaching and learning of geometry at the van Hiele Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the college of education level in Ghana. The van Hiele theory of geometric thinking was used to explore the type of teaching strategies employed by the mathematics tutors. The theory served as a guideline from which classroom observation protocol was developed. Results indicated that the tutors exhibit a good conceptual understanding in facilitating the teaching and learning of geometry that is consistent with van Hiele Levels 1 and 2. However, much of the geometry teaching and learning strategies of the mathematics tutors were not structured in a way that support the development of geometric thinking as described in van Hiele Levels 3 and 4. Implications for the involvement of college mathematics tutors in utilizing the van Hiele framework were discussed.
 
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