ERIC Number: ED500949
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2003-Jul
Pages: 8
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Curved Solids Nets
Cohen, Nitsa
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Paper presented at the 27th International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference Held Jointly with the 25th PME-NA Conference (Honolulu, HI, Jul 13-18, 2003), v2 p229-236
The transformation of a solid to its net is based on something quite different from simple perceptual impression. It is a mental operation performed by manipulating mental images. The aim of this study was to observe pre-service and in-service teachers' ability to visualize the transformation of a curved solid to its net and vice versa, and to try to classify and to analyze students' mistakes and difficulties related to this kind of visualization. The most significant conclusion is that when lacking any experience, many students are unable to imagine the process of unfolding a curved surface. The findings show poor performance in attempts to produce nets or judge drawings as being possible nets of a cylinder or a cone. (Contains 7 figures and 2 tables.) [For complete proceedings, see ED500859.]
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Visualization, Visual Perception, Mathematical Concepts, Error Patterns, Geometric Concepts, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematics Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. 35 Aandwind Street, Kirstenhof, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa. Tel: +27-21-715-3559; Fax: +27-88-021-715-3559; e-mail: info@igpme.org; Web site: http://igpme.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A