Submit a Manuscript

International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education

International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education
  • e-ISSN: 1306-3030
  • First published in 2006
JOURNAL ARCHIVE
Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills
Samuel Adaboh, Robert Akpalu, Isaac Owusu-Darko, Samuel Stevens Boateng
  • Article Type: Research Article
  • International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 2017 - Volume 12 Issue 3, pp. 353-365
  • Published Online: 18 Jun 2017
  • Article Views: 1012 | Article Download: 1009
  • Open Access Full Text (PDF)
AMA 10th edition
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Adaboh S, Akpalu R, Owusu-Darko I, Boateng SS. Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills. Int Elect J Math Ed. 2017;12(3), 353-365.
APA 6th edition
In-text citation: (Adaboh et al., 2017)
Reference: Adaboh, S., Akpalu, R., Owusu-Darko, I., & Boateng, S. S. (2017). Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(3), 353-365.
Chicago
In-text citation: (Adaboh et al., 2017)
Reference: Adaboh, Samuel, Robert Akpalu, Isaac Owusu-Darko, and Samuel Stevens Boateng. "Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2017 12 no. 3 (2017): 353-365.
Harvard
In-text citation: (Adaboh et al., 2017)
Reference: Adaboh, S., Akpalu, R., Owusu-Darko, I., and Boateng, S. S. (2017). Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(3), pp. 353-365.
MLA
In-text citation: (Adaboh et al., 2017)
Reference: Adaboh, Samuel et al. "Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 12, no. 3, 2017, pp. 353-365.
Vancouver
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Adaboh S, Akpalu R, Owusu-Darko I, Boateng SS. Using Courseware Instruction to Improve Junior High School Students’ Spatial Visualization Skills. Int Elect J Math Ed. 2017;12(3):353-65.

Abstract

This study basically focused on the use of instruction to assist Junior High School (JHS 1) students at Dodowa Presbyterian Basic School (Ghana), to achieve high spatial visualization skills which will eventually translate into their mathematics achievement. The test instrument used for the data collection was an adapted form of the Middle Grades Mathematics Project (MGMP) spatial visualization test which comprised of 40 items with an internal consistency reliability of 0.81. The simple random sampling technique was used to assign 50 students to control and experimental groups. Pretest-posttest control group design was employed for the study. A paired-sample t-test and split plot ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The results showed that even though there was some improvement in spatial visualization skills across board (both control and experimental groups), there was a statistically significant improvement in spatial visualization skills among the experimental group. The study also indicated that there were no gender differences in spatial visualization skills both at the pretest and posttest levels.

Keywords

spatial visualization skills spatial ability guided discovery teaching method pre-test and post-test

References

  • Bansilal, S., James, A., & Naidoo, M (2010), Whose voice matters? Learners. South African Journal of education, (30), 153-165.
  • Battista, M. T. (1990). Spatial visualization and gender differences in high school geometry.    Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 21, 47–60.
  • Battista, M. T., Clements, D. H., Sarama, J., & Swaminathan, S. (1997). Development of students' spatial thinking in a unit on geometric motions and area. University of Chicago Press.
  • Battista, M. T., & Clements, D. H. (1998). Students’ spatial structuring of 2D arrays of squares. JRME Online, 29(5), 503-532.
  • Battista, M.T. & Wheatley, G. H. (1989). Spatial visualization, formal reasoning, and geometric-solving strategies of pre-service elementary teachers. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics 11(4):17-30.
  • Ben-Chaim, D., Lappan, G., & Houang, R.T. (1988). The effects of instruction on spatial visualisation skills of middle school boys and girls. American Educational Research Journal, 25 (1), 51-71.
  • Bruner, J. (1966). Toward a theory of instruction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Carter, C. S., LaRussa, M. A., & Bodner, G. M. (1987). A study of two measures of spatial ability as predictors of success in different levels of general chemistry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 24, 645-657.
  • Clements, M. A. (1983). The question of how spatial ability is defined, and its relevance to Mathematics Education. Zentralblatt fur Didaktik der Mathematik, 15, 8-20.
  • Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2003-2015, Volume I.  Retrieved on 25/7/2016 from http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Ghana/Ghana%20Education%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf
  • Fennema, J. & Sherman, J. (1977). Sex-related differences in mathematics achievement, spatial visualization and affective factors. American Educational Research Journal, Vol.14: 51-71,
  • Halpern, D. F. (1986) Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities. Hillsdale, N. J. Lawrence Erlbaum Association.
  • McGee, M. G. (1979). Human spatial abilities: Psychometric studies and environmental, genetic,
  • hormonal, and neurological influences. Psychological Bulletin, 86(5), 889-918.
  • Mereku, D.K., (2004). Mathematics curriculum implementation in Ghana 2nd ed. Accra: Danjoe Production.    
  • Mix, K. S., & Cheng, Y.-L. (2012). The relation between space and math: Developmental and educational implications. In J. B. Benson (Ed.), Advances in child development and behaviour (Vol. 42, pp. 197–243). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
  • Ministry of Education (2002) Meeting the Challenges of Education in the twenty first century: Report of the president’s committee on review of education reforms in Ghana. Accra, Ghana.
  • National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (1989). Curriculum and evaluation standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM
  • Oke, M.G. & Bello M. A. (2014).  An appraisal of candidates’ achievement in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) among WAEC member countries.
  • Sherrod, S. E., Dwyer, J. & Narayan, R. (2009). Developing science and mathematics integrated activities for middle school students. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology.  Volume 40(2), 247-257.
  • Sorby, S. A. (2007). Developing 3D spatial skills for engineering students. Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, 13(1), 1–11.
  • Tartre, L. (1990). Spatial orientation skill and mathematical problem solving. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 21 (3), 216-229. USA.
  • Yue, J. (2002). Do basic mathematical skills improve spatial visualization abilities? Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Session 3286.

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
All Rights Reserved © 2006-2019