Alleviating geometry levels of thinking among Indonesian students using van hiele-based interactive visual tools

Abstract

There have been serious concerns about students' learning difficulty in geometry worldwide, including Indonesia. Research findings suggest that such phenomenon is best explained by the established van Hiele model of learning of geometry which associates the learning difficulties with the missing of predictable sequence of levels of development of knowledge and understanding geometry concepts. The model has been widely adopted as framework in the design and development of various technology-related applications designed to help learners to learn geometry effectively. However, the suitability and effectiveness of such applications among most of the post-SMP Indonesian school children is very likely to be dampen due to the lack of suitable infrastructure and inappropriate educational emphasis and practices. In addition, most of the applications were designed to help learners to develop knowledge and understanding across the spectrum of geometric topics rather than to help them to progress through their van Hiele geometry thinking on the level-by-level basis. This research paper discusses the needs to develop alternative learning instructions which address these discrepancies. A conceptual framework of the design and development of such instructions would also be discussed. The ultimate goal of the research is to develop interactive learning instructions (called Interactive Visual Tools or IVT) which assist post-SMP students in the region of Parepare to progress through van Hiele levels of geometry thinking via utilization of limited local resources over a minimal technology-oriented educational environment.