ERIC Number: EJ1107210
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1814-6627
EISSN: N/A
Using Manipulatives to Support an Embodied Approach to Learning Trigonometry in a South African School: A Case Study
Brijlall, D.; Niranjan, C.
Africa Education Review, v12 n3 p361-380 2015
Multiple Intelligence Theory suggests that individuals perceive knowledge in eight different ways. This article reports on a study that explored the role of manipulatives in the teaching and learning of trigonometric ratios in grade 10. The approach attempts in addressing three domains of the Multiple Intelligence Theory (linguistic/verbal intelligence, logical/mathematical intelligence and spatial intelligence). The foundation of this research was a case study contained in the interpretative paradigm involving five grade 10 mathematics pupils at a high school in South Africa. The data was collected from: (1) activity sheet containing written responses of pupils; (2) observations; and (3) semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and it was found that the use of manipulatives in teaching and learning mathematics played a positive role in learners understanding of trigonometric ratios at grade 10 level. In general the findings of this study supported other research findings that confirm that manipulatives were important mediating tools in the development of conceptual and procedural understanding of mathematical concepts. Besides these pedagogical implications the study proved that the manipulatives effectively consolidated the features of Lesh's model.
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, Manipulative Materials, Trigonometry, Foreign Countries, Case Studies, Multiple Intelligences, Grade 10, Secondary School Mathematics, Worksheets, Observation, Semi Structured Interviews, Spatial Ability, Qualitative Research
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 10; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A