In class, primary level teachers often use different didactic aids in order to explain clearly to their pupils new learning contents and related terms. Since mathematical topics are more abstract than those of other subjects, didactic aids are even more desired. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, primary level pupils are at the concrete operational stage, which means that they need as many experiences with concrete materials as possible in order to understand abstract mathematical concepts. Among concrete materials are didactic aids, divided into static and dynamic didactic aids. In this master's thesis, we studied how fourth-grade pupils understand geometric terms line segment, line and ray as well as infinity using static and dynamic didactic aids. In the theoretical part, we focused on geometric elements in the plain, such as line segment, line and ray, the representation of listed elements and their spatial presentation. Mathematical picture book and its role were determined as a static didactic aid, and mathematical animated film as a dynamic didactic aid. We also presented findings of research to date that address teaching using a mathematical picture book and a mathematical animated film. In the empirical part, we conducted a study in three fourth-grade classes of primary school. We taught pupils geometric terms line segment, line and ray, familiarising them also with the term infinity. In each class, we used a different teaching approach. In the first class, we taught in the traditional way, using learning materials and static didactic aids, in the second class, we used a mathematical book and static didactic aids, while in the third class, we used a mathematical animated film and dynamic didactic aids. The first class acted as a control group, and the other two as experimental groups. The role of didactic aids for understanding the topics taught was examined in form of an initial and final test. Results of the study showed no statistically significant differences related to the understanding of geometric terms line segment, line, ray and infinity between the three groups on the initial test, while statistically significant differences were determined on the final test between the group taught using learning materials and the group taught using a mathematical animated film and other dynamic didactic aids. The pupils taught using a mathematical animated film performed better on the final test. After being familiarised with the learning contents, pupils of all three groups were more motivated to learn mathematics than before this study. We noticed that the pupils taught using a mathematical picture book and a mathematical animated film were more motivated than the pupils taught using learning materials. The aim of this master's thesis is to highlight the importance of using different types of didactic aids in class, especially when teaching and learning geometry in the fourth grade, as terms taught are more abstract, even though pupils are still at the concrete operational stage. With this study, conducted in the context of this master's thesis, we want to bring attention to the perception of geometric infinity in fourth-grade pupils, as some of them come across this term for the first time.
|
