Definitions and Meaning for Future Teachers in Spatial Measurement: Length, Area, and Volume
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2019
Publication Title
Proceedings of Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference
DOI
10.20429/stem.2019.030102
Abstract
U.S. students have consistently demonstrated poor performance in spatial reasoning in standardized testing (e.g., National Assessment of Educational Progress). One possible reason is students' lack of conceptual understanding of measurement concepts (length, area, volume, capacity). This paper describes different ways that mathematics textbooks written for future elementary teachers define meanings of measurement concepts, especially the meaning of measure, area, and the measurement process (generally and for area). We base the analysis of definitions and construction of complete definitions using several definitions of each concept from mathematics textbooks written for future elementary teachers (e.g., Beckmann, 2012; Sowder, Sowder, & Nickerson, 2010). Although not one mathematics textbook provided a complete definition, together the definitions present a detailed and in-depth look at the measurement process and area measurement.
Recommended Citation
Stehr, Eryn M., Jia He.
2019.
"Definitions and Meaning for Future Teachers in Spatial Measurement: Length, Area, and Volume."
Proceedings of Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference, L. M. Stueve (Ed.), 3: 2-14.
doi: 10.20429/stem.2019.030102 source: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=stem_proceedings
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/math-sci-facpubs/733
