FROM CULTURAL CONTEXTS TO GEOMETRY REASONING: INTEGRATING VAN HIELE THEORY AND PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE SPATIAL ABILTY
Domaine:
education
Background: Spatial ability is fundamental to geometric reasoning and students’ success in mathematics and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. However, geometry instruction in middle schools often emphasizes abstract procedures that limit students’ ability to construct meaningful spatial representations. Although ethnomathematics, Van Hiele’s theory, and problem-based learning have each been shown to support geometry learning, research integrating these three perspectives into a coherent instructional framework for developing students’ spatial ability remains limited.
Methods: This study investigated the effect of geometry instruction based on Nias culture that integrated Van Hiele’s theory through problem-based learning on eighth-grade students’ spatial ability. A quasi-experimental study employing a partial pretest–posttest control group design was conducted with 47 students selected through purposive sampling, comprising an experimental group of 24 students and a control group of 23 students. Data were analyzed using normalized gain scores and an independent samples t-test.
Results: Students in the experimental group demonstrated substantial improvement in spatial ability, achieving a mean normalized gain score of 0.69, which indicates a high level of improvement. Furthermore, the experimental group obtained significantly higher posttest scores than the control group (t (45) = 2.381, p = 0.022), indicating the effectiveness of the integrated instructional approach in improving students’ spatial ability.
Conclusions: Integrating culturally meaningful contexts with Van Hiele’s developmental framework through problem-based learning effectively enhances students’ spatial ability. The findings further demonstrate that cultural context can serve as a cognitive scaffold that supports students’ progression toward higher levels of geometric reasoning, offering a theoretically grounded and culturally responsive approach to geometry instruction.