Learning Contents of Spatial Thinking in Geometry Curriculum: Through Comparison with NCTM Standards and Common Core State Standard for Mathematics
2015 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 163-174
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2015 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 163-174
The purposes of this study are to reveal characteristics and problems of learning contents in terms of Spatial thinking in geometry curriculum in Japan through comparing with NCTM Standards and CCSSM in the U.S.A.
The method to compare among curriculums has three steps; (1) three learning contents, “location and coordinates”, “coordinates and transformations” and “2D representations of 3D objects” are selected from the aspects of former curriculum reforms, (2) All learning contents in geometry curriculum are analyzed using the idea “Making activity an object of another activity” by Hirabayashi (1978), (3) three learning contents selected in first step are compared from the viewpoints, objects and methods.
The results shows that two curriculums in the U.S.A emphasis on coordinates in order to represent the location in the space and describe the transformation of geometric figures, and also especially NCTM standards has a coherence in raising spatial visualization. On the other hand, Japanese geometry curriculum is taken along van Hiele’s level of thinking. However there are two problems, lack of opportunity to learn dynamic geometry and inadequate specific viewpoints of raising spatial thinking abilities.
