Background: Realistic visualizations have been associated with benefits in retention performance, but also with disadvantages in transfer tasks. Realistic details are considered to be helpful for the initial learning of content, but not for the generalization to other domains and tasks. Objectives: The contradictory nature of previous evidence…

In this work, certain task designs to enhance middle school students' spatial visualisation ability, in the context of an instrumental approach, have been developed. 3D modelling software, SketchUp®, was used. In the design process, software tools were focused on and, thereafter, the aim was to interpret the instrumental genesis and spatial…

There is an emerging consensus that spatial thinking is fundamental to later success in math and science. The goals of this study were to design and evaluate a novel test of three-dimensional (3D) mental rotation for 4- to 8-year-old children (N?=?165) that uses tangible 3D objects. Results revealed that the measure was both valid and reliable and…

The goal of this study is to identify the characteristics of pre-service primary teachers' configural reasoning, understood as the relationships between concepts and figures set to solve geometrical proof problems. Ninety-seven primary teachers were asked to solve two geometrical proof problems in which a geometrical figure was provided. The…

The teaching of 3D digital game design requires the development of students' meta-skills, from story creativity to 3D model construction, and even the visualization process in design thinking. The characteristics a good game designer should possess have been identified as including redesign things, creativity thinking and the ability to…

This paper deals with the design of interactivity in visualization tools. There are several factors that can be used to guide the analysis and design of the interactivity of these tools. One such factor is flow, which is concerned with the duration of interaction with visual representations of information--interaction being the actions performed…

Research (Fish, 2004) suggests that everybody should be taught how to freehand sketch and utilise it as a tool for supporting the visualising instinct. A fundamental shift in philosophy of the technology education system in Ireland towards design driven subjects brought with it a need to develop practising teacher's technological capabilities.…

The main purpose of this study is to determine the strategies of using the generalizing patterns of the primary fifth grade students. The practice of this research is conducted on twelve students, which have high, middle and low success levels. Task-based interviews and students journals are used as the tools for data collection. For the analysis…

Focuses on the role of tools, provided by a computer microworld (C.AR.ME), on the strategies developed by 14-year-old students regarding the concept of conservation of area of a non-convex polygon. Indicates that the nature of the tools used affected the nature of solution strategies that students constructed. (Author/KHR)

Reports a study designed to identify 9 and 11 year olds' ways of drawing nets of solids and to provide opportunities for them to reflect on their models in whole class discussions. Results indicated that children's views of solids' nets progressed from more global and holistic to more quantitative and analytic. (MDH)

This document contains the fourth volume of the proceedings of the 30th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference presentations are centered around the theme "Mathematics at the Centre." This volume features 59 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Kun and…

The first volume of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains plenary lecture and research forum papers as listed below. Short oral communications papers, poster presentations, brief summaries of discussion groups, and working sessions are also included in the volume. The plenary…