Investigation on the effects of measuring authentic contexts on geometry learning

Abstract

We designed and developed a Ubiquitous Geometry (UG) app for elementary school students to learn geometry in authentic contexts. Real geometry object could facilitate and consolidate students' geometry learning if students were given opportunities to apply and practice geometric concepts in authentic contexts. Geometry is one of the important subject, however, students have less opportunities to apply geometric concepts and solve geometry problems in authentic contexts. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of UG app on students' geometry estimation ability, geometry learning achievement, spatial ability and geometric concepts and explore correlations among them. Participants were 82 fifth grade students divided into experiment group (EG), ruler measurement group (RG) and control group (CG). The results revealed that EG performed significantly better than RG and CG in geometry estimation ability, geometry learning achievement, spatial ability and geometric concepts. Beside the significant correlations between geometry learning achievement and spatial ability, we also found geometry estimation ability significantly related to spatial ability and geometry learning achievement which means fostering estimation ability through measuring authentic objects could help students' geometry learning. It indicated that UG app was able to enhance student's geometry estimation ability, geometry learning achievement, spatial ability and geometric concepts effectively.