Today I will present to you “Improvement of

Geometry Knowledge on Third Cycle of Basic

Education Mathematics Teachers in Honduras
Using Honduran Textbooks”
The Aim of this Research is the improvement of
academic performance in mathematics on Basic
Education in Honduras through the identification of
mathematics teachersʼ competency and ability in
geometry knowledge.... and also the development of
mathematics teachersʼ geometrical thinking.
The purpose of this research in Honduras is... first,
to measure the level of geometry knowledge using
tests based on van Hiele Levels.... Second, to
conduct an intensive course on geometry contents
using Honduran mathematics texbooks for
secondary junior high school.... Third, to determine
the impact of intensive course..... And also, to
Review researchʼs results for implementation and
developing on further teachers training programs in
Honduras.
The main questions of research are... What is the
Geometry knowledge by van Hiele Levels of
undergraduate pre-service mathematics teachers
from Pedagogical Universityʼs Initial teachers
training program in Choluteca?
{CLICK} and... What can learn this undergraduate
pre-service mathematics teachers through an
intensive course on Geometry contents using
secondary mathematics textbooks?
Well, this research was conducted on August, nineth
to thirteenth of this year by a term of five days.
{CLICK} the target group is a sample of 48
undergraduate pre-service mathematics teachers
for junior high school, all of them from Honduras
Pedagogical Universityʼs Initial teachers trainig
program.
{CLICK} The stages was.... Pre-test, Intensive
course, and post-test
The test instruments used were...
{CLICK} pre and post test of van Hiele Geometry
Test developed by Usiskin
{CLICK} pre and post test of Basic Geometry
contents of fourth to sixth grades
{CLICK} pre and post test of Basic Geometry
contents of seventh to nineth grades
this table there are the geometry contents from
fourth to nineth grades in Curriculum of
Honduras.
Also there are the number of class hours per
each unit.
These are the contents in Basic Geometry Tests
These were the contents studied in Intensive
course. (see table 4 in appendices)
The grading of van Hiele test is very simple...
assigning the the respective points for meeting
criteria on each group level of 5 items and setting to
van Hiele Level by weighted sum
For meeting criteria we used 3 correct responses of
5.
The scoring of basic geometry tests is assigning 1
point per each correct response.
{CLICK} And... All of tests were administered to all
participants, Pre-tests on first day, Post-tests on last
day
These were the participants
The only difference between third year group of
study and fouth year group of study. Is that fourth
year group has teaching practice experience in
elementary school and secondary junior high
school, and, third year group no have.
Figure 1. Correct Responses of van Hiele Geometry
Test (All participants)
•  There is a small increment of correct answers on
majority of Items.
•  On pre-test Items Q1, Q3, and Q9 there is the
highest amount of correct answers.
•  Unexpected result on Item Q7. Option A has
an increment of responses.
Figure 2. Distribution into van Hiele Levels (All
participants, ‘3 of 5’ Criterion)
• Tendency of the whole group to move to highest
level.
• And also there is a decrement in the number of
participants that Not Fit in van Hiele Model (from
25% to 10% of participants).
Figure 3. Correct Responses of Basic Geometry Test
on 2nd Cycle of BE (All participants)
• Majority of Items have an increment of the number
of correct responses (Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q7 Q8, Q9 and
Q10).
• And the two Items have decrement (Q3 and Q6).
• The Item Q10 (for Level 3) has a significant
increment of correct responses.
Figure 4. Distribution into Score of Basic Geometry Test on 2nd
Cycle of BE (All participants)
There are better results in this test after Intensive Course, probably
the training of Geometry contents on Third Cycle (grades 7th – 9th)
help them to understand better the Geometry contents of Second
Cycle (grades 4th – 6th).
Figure 6. Correct Responses of Basic Geometry Test
on 3rd Cycle of BE (All participants)
• Item Q2 and Q5 have highest percentage of correct
responses for the group.
• On Item Q5 has a significant increment of correct
responses (increased by 28/48).
• Unexpected result was observed on Item Q4 where
the option B (incorrect response) has an increment
of responses.
Figure . Distribution into Score of Basic Geometry
Test on 3rd Cycle of BE (All 48 participants)
Tendency of the whole group to increment the score
test.
Conclusions (1)
What is the Geometry knowledge by van Hiele
Level of undergraduate pre-service mathematics
teachers from Choluteca FID-UPNFM?
By a grading criterion of ‘3 of 5’ correct answers on
van Hiele Geometry Test, the 42% of participants
fixed on Level 1 and the 25% in Level 2. These mean
that van Hiele Level of the majority is Level 1, after
the Intensive Course.
Conclusions (2)
What can learn undergraduate pre-service
mathematics teachers from Choluteca FID-UPNFM,
thought a intensive course on Geometry contents
using secondary junior high school mathematics
textbooks?
There was a small difference between the
performance of correct responses of Pre-test and
Post-test.
They showed interest to learn more about Geometry
contents.
In the intensive course participants only got a lot of
contents with out opportunity of getting in self.
Significance of Results
These results are useful to discuses improvement of
mathematics curriculum of Pre-service Mathematics
teacher for Third Cycle of Basic Education in FID-
Choluteca.
Recommendations
The participants has a low level performance in
Geometry (by van Hiele Model), then it is necessary
to review and improve curriculum design of FID-
UPNFM.
Conduct a similar research for diagnosis in other
locations of Honduras where is implemented Initial
Teacher Training for Mathematics Teacher of Third
Cycle of Basic Education.
And these are some pictures of overseas
research in Honduras, Choluteca FID.
Thank you very much for your attentions
your comments and questions are welcome
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