The Influence of Curiosity and Spatial Ability on Preservice Middle and Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Understanding of Geometry

• Other Authors: Unal, Hasan (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Education
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-1461

The objectives of this study were to investigate and characterize the geometric thinking of preservice middle and secondary mathematics teachers while taking account into their curiosity types and spatial ability levels, and to examine the relationship between the students' curiosity types (perceptual and epistemic) and their motivation, and to examine the relationship between students' spatial ability and motivation. The study used the van Hiele model of the development of geometric thought to examine description of geometric thought in preservice middle and secondary teachers and the ARCS model of motivation to examine students' motivation. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The van Hiele levels of students were identified by using, clinical interview protocol, designed by Mayberry (1981). Four preservice teachers were interviewed. To investigate the difference, if any, exist between preservice middle and secondary teachers with different spatial ability levels and understanding geometry, pre- and post-test design were employed by using Mayberry's (1981) protocol. Pre-interview results showed three groups of levels of understanding were identified with the preservice middle and secondary mathematics teachers. One teacher whom very low in spatial ability indicated a level II, one teacher low in spatial ability indicating levels II/III, one teacher with medium spatial ability indicating level III/IV and one teacher very high in spatial ability a Level III understanding. Post interview results showed a gain among all three preservice teachers, only one teacher who were very low in spatial ability did not demonstrated such gain in geometric understanding. Correlation design were employed examine relationships among motivation, curiosity and spatial ability. This study looked at following relationships having motivation as a dependent variable, curiosity types (epistemic and perceptual) and spatial ability as independent variables. The Pearson product-moment correlation was utilized to investigate these relationships. There was a significant correlation between perceptual curiosity and motivation. === A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Spring Semester, 2005. === March 30, 2005. === Preservice Mathematics Teacher, Spatial Ability, Curiosity, ARCS Model, Van Hiele Model === Includes bibliographical references. === Elizabeth Jakubowski, Professor Directing Dissertation; John M. Keller, Outside Committee Member; Leslie Aspinwall, Committee Member; Sande Milton, Committee Member.