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Practical Geometry Tasks as a Method for Teaching Active Learning in

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Article in Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · June 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.421

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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (2015) 1796 – 1800

WCES 2014

Practical Geometry Tasks as a Method for Teaching Active

Learning in Geometry
Kitti Vidermanovaa*, Dusan Valloa
a
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 74 Nitra,
Slovakia

Abstract

A lot of research has indicated that the way students are taught has a strong influence and impact on their ideas about the subject
and how the subject should be taught. In 1908 at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rome the great mathematician
Felix Klein (1849 - 1925) talked about the paradox of double forgetting. The essence of the paradox is the life experience of
young teachers who have to forget about a lot of university training and its scientific thinking to successfully teach mathematics.
This phenomenon currently persists at Slovak primary and secondary schools. The problem is especially striking in teaching
geometry. Many Slovak and Czech teachers agree that geometry has many applications in everyday life, but there is not enough
“real-life” everyday problems in Slovak mathematics textbooks which are structured according to the deductive approach to
teaching and learning. Based on the concept of realistic mathematics education, we deal with the implementation of special
geometrical tasks called topographical tasks in teacher training. Our findings are based on real experiences teaching through
workshops devoted to topographical tasks which were realized during two school lessons. In the conclusion we analysed the
benefits of this new approach to active teaching. The students´ solutions to the tasks and their methodological analysis are
included, too.
© 2015
© 2014TheTheAuthors.
Authors.Published
Publishedbyby Elsevier
Elsevier Ltd.Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCES 2014.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCES 2014
Keywords: realistic mathematics education; active learning; practical geometry tasks; topographical tasks

1. Introduction

One can agree with Röj-Lindberg (2001) who states that the teaching of mathematics in school has a crucial
influence on the personal and professional life of the learner. In a traditional teaching approach school lessons have

* Kitti Vidermanova. Tel.: +421 37 6408 691; fax: +421 37 6408 556.
E-mail address: kvidermanova@ukf.sk

1877-0428 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCES 2014
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.421
 Kitti Vidermanova and Dusan Vallo / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (2015) 1796 – 1800 1797

the same structure - the teacher teaches the mathematics curriculum according to content written in textbooks and
the students remain passive listeners (Hejný & Kuřina, 2001). Many researchers claim that the way how students
(future teachers) were educated in school has a strong influence both on their attitude to subjects and to the concept
of teaching (Kagan, 1992; Lortie, 1975; Thompson, 1984; Huibregtse, Korthagen &Wubbels, 1994). Stofflett and
Stoddart (1994).
Kaptan & Timurlenk, (2012) consider that the problems with this kinds of passivity outlined above should be
overcome through science education. There is no way for students to overcome these problems if they maintain a
passive role. It is important to break the didactic teaching-learning-teaching cycle in mathematical education.
Realistic education can be used for this purpose. This educational conception was introduced in the 1970s and 1980s
in the Netherlands and the methodology become well-known as method for “learning by solving” real problems or
tasks in practice. The following articles document an active way of learning which had high priority in a program in
Utrecht for the training of mathematics teachers for secondary education. We describe some benefits of this type of
learning with reference to examples of students’ solutions to special geometric tasks related to a teacher-training
course at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra.

2. Theoretical background – realistic mathematics education and active learning

Realistic mathematics education in the Netherlands starts from a completely different point of view on teaching
and aims to teach the children their own mathematical knowledge. It is based on problems from a real world context
(Freudenthal, 1978; Treffers, 1987; Heuvel-Panhuizen, 2001).
Pupils are challenged to develop their own strategies for solving problems and have discussions about them with
other pupils. Finding solutions to real-world problems is not the final goal in mathematics education. Teachers also
help the children to transfer their informal strategies into more formal approaches applicable in other life situations
(Treffers, 1987). The criterion for a problem to be called realistic is that it should be likely that the problem is
experienced by the learner as real and personally interesting (in Wubbels, Korthagen & Broekman 1997). This
approach is inquiry-oriented and student-centered. Students are taught to formulate questions, to debate, and to
explore and acquire a deeper understanding of the world. Discovering principles is paramount rather than mere
memorizing. If students are taught with this method they experience and learn a new teaching style but also develop
an understanding of the cause of relations too (in Westwood, 2008). It is not enough to inform students about new
teaching methods during their university studies. Niemi´s, (2002) research showed that even though the teachers had
good experience during their teacher education time, they criticized their education strongly. The main reasons for
criticism were the passive teaching and learning methods. The contents of their studies did not have necessary
connections to real life either. Active learning principles were introduced to student teachers, but they were not
implemented in their tuition. The same situation exists in teacher training at Slovak universities today. The students
are familiar with new teaching methods and they write about them in an essay at best but this always remains only at
a theoretical level. They do not have opportunities to experience it practically. When they start teaching at primary
or secondary school, they will not have time to study new methods. They need to know how to choose and organize
lessons whilst trying and using new methods. From our experience as lecturers on courses for professional
development for teachers we know that older teachers want to learn and use new teaching methods, but they do not
know how or where to start. They are active and want to change something in their educational process because the
pupils´ attitude to mathematics and its learning is getting progressively worse. Marchis´ research (2011) illustrates
the students´ negative attitude to mathematics. Marchis carried out a survey of 337 secondary school students about
learning. The survey showed that one-third of the respondents think that mathematics does not have any connection
with real life and it cannot be used in everyday life. Tarmizi, Tarmizi & Mokhtar (2010) summarized what we hear
from students and often from other people in our society (often the parents): Mathematics teaching is dominated by
dehumanisation, depersonalisation and decontextualisation. Students are often confused why they are learning about
algebra, trigonometry and the theoretical proving of theorems. They think that if Apollonius’ theorem or
Pythagoras’ theorem is true everywhere, so what? Why should they learn about universal truths? If the teaching is
not contextual, the aims are not realized by the students and so learning mathematics is meaningless to them.
Maas et al. (2011) stressed that by engaging with problems in meaningful contexts students can be encouraged to
draw on a range of competencies and knowledge through which they can be motivated to learn more within subject
1798 Kitti Vidermanova and Dusan Vallo / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (2015) 1796 – 1800

disciplines. However is solving problems based on realistic content enough? Active learning forces the students to
contemplate and to make comments on applied information by involving them in activity-based research practices.
With this approach students not only listen to the presentations, but at the same time, they improve their skills
through practice and analysis and through integrating and evaluating the knowledge which they have acquired by
asking and writing at the end of peer-work (Aydede & Kesercioglu, 2010).

3. Practical geometry tasks in the process of the implementation into teacher trainig

Within the discipline of mathematics geometry has the most applications for students in real life. According to
Rumanova & Svecova (2012) a very suitable source of tasks would be to look for mathematics in our living-space.
Students should look for mathematical properties, patterns, geometric shapes in the city, at home, in nature and so
on. In our opinion students often encounter problems such as measuring or setting out an area. These are problems
associated with surveying topographical areas, which are based on real needs and require measuring distances,
setting up areas in the field. Forty years ago the Slovak mathematics curriculum included many surveying tasks:
staking out segments and shapes, measuring out segments, distances and angles and specific problems related to
measure distances through obstacle, etc. These topics were reduced over time and eventually they were completely
taken off the mathematics curriculum. However as part of the geometry course at Constantine the Philosopher
University in Nitra we surveying tasks and problems to students because we believe that it is a great opportunity to
achieve an active acquisition of the knowledge of geometry.
We can summarize the benefits of the inclusion of the topographical tasks in the teaching of mathematics:
• The tasks are highly motivational due to real use in practice.
• Students verify various definitions and relationships learned in geometric theory.
• The tasks support the creative activity of students.
• They are appropriate for group-work - the division of work and good cooperation of members in a group can
lead to successful fulfillment of the task.
• The teacher can analyze the students´ attitude and their work ethic in a group.

3.1. Workshop with teacher-training students

The workshop was attended by 18 student teachers in third year of their study. The workshop was organized at
the University campus of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra.
As an introduction we let the students solve elementary tasks aimed at measuring and construction:
a) Measure a line a12 meters long at first and then mark it at the point of 3 meters and 5 meters.
b) Extend a line segment by a given length.
c) Determine the center of the segment.
d) Construct a perpendicular at a given segment from a given point.
e) Measure the right angle by using a right-angle cross (Fig. 1).
f) Demarcate the right angle by using a Pythagorean triangle with sides of length 3 m, 4 m and 5 m (Fig. 2).

Figure 1 Figure 2
 Kitti Vidermanova and Dusan Vallo / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (2015) 1796 – 1800 1799

After these standard measurements, which served as a "warm-up", we introduced the students to some more
complicated problems.
Problem 1 Measure the distance between two selected stations (points), if some fixed barrier is located between
the stations.
Observation. We chose as a barrier the corner of a playground. At first the students stretched the twine between the
given points around the corner of the playground (Fig. 3). Afterwards the students started calculations using
Pythagorean Theorem (Fig. 4). They calculated the length of the segment inside the playground. The students also
found another solution based on the properties of a parallelogram. By using the point reflection they transferred the
measured distance in accessible place. The idea is demonstrated in figure 5.

Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

Problem 2 Demarcate a regular hexagon with a side length of 3 meters.

Observation. The solution that the students presented us with an alternative solution to the problem – a solution we
had not considered. They used the twine to create a "template" of an equilateral triangle with side lengths of 3
meters (Fig. 6). Two students stretched two vertexes of the triangle and sequentially they rotated the triangle around
the potential midpoint of the hexagon through an angle of 60º.

Figure 6 Figure 7

Problem 3 Find the height of the lamp posts.

Observation. The students got guidance on how to use the shadow of the sun for using similarity in measuring tasks
effectively. The realization of the solution was unique as well. One of the students (she had known her height) stood
next to the lamp and her classmates measured her shadow.
Using a simple calculation arising from the similarity of triangles they determine the height of the lamp. The result
was approximately 7 meters (see Fig. 9).

Figure 8 Figure 9
1800 Kitti Vidermanova and Dusan Vallo / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (2015) 1796 – 1800

4. Conclusion

The topographical tasks offered the students immediate feedback on their geometric knowledge and they gave the
students the ability of using the mathematical curriculum in real practice. Based on our observations we state that
creativity and logical problem solving was supported by the students optimism, motivation and effort to solve the
problems. The problems and solutions which were presented to the students can be useful in real life as abilities and
skills for example in the determination of the area of a gazebo, gardens, fencing of a territory, finding the height of a
house in building reconstruction, etc. The main benefits of the topographical tasks in the educational process include
the motivation of the students for the geometry course and its curriculum in Slovak schools. The students´ verve for
finding solutions was greatly surprising. The students were active, took part in the teaching process and were
thinking about strategies for solving the given problems. The feedback on improving of teaching geometry can be
expected when these participating students will pass into practice as teachers. This question will be the subject of
future research.

Acknowledgements

This paper was supported by a grant; KEGA MINE Slovak republic titled Solid Geometry in the Arrangement of
Math Teachers with Accent of Factor Handling Activity and Application Tasks.

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