An Investigation on Primary School Students’ 3d Geometric Thinking

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how primary school students' three-dimensional geometric thinking changes across grades. The survey model was used, and the study group was comprising of 520 primary school students in a large city of Turkey. In the study, the Three-Dimensional Geometric Thinking Test, which is a paper and pencil test, was used to collect data. The scores taken from the test were compared across the grades and the relationships between the components of threedimensional geometric thinking were examined. The findings showed that as the grades increased, students' scores taken from the Three-Dimensional Thinking Test also increased significantly. Moreover, a medium and positive correlation was found between the components of three-dimensional geometric thinking. The results of the study revealed that grade level is a significant variable on three-dimensional geometric thinking, yet some important three-dimensional geometric thinking skills can be developed independent from the grade level. The current study intends to shed light on the development of threedimensional geometric thinking starting from early grades, and to provide important information for organizing the threedimensional geometric content in the curriculum and its implementation.