Children`s Learning Geometric Concepts: LOGO as a Learning Environment

Abstract

孩童自幼即生活在幾何的世界中，幾何概念實為他們生活中的一部份，例如許多小孩的玩具，如積木、球、盒子等均與幾何圖形有關。因此，如何利用小孩現有的生活環境，來幫助他們學習幾何概念實具有相當重要性。主張兒童學習抽象概念，特別是數學概念之前，一定要經過具體物感官經驗時期的皮雅傑(Jean Piaget)教學理論也因此日益受到重視。LOGO是一種根據皮雅傑的學習理論而發展出來的電腦程式語言，其目的在提供學童一種主動學習的環境，使他們能掌握他們自己的學習，並協助教師以一種新的方式來觀察學習過程。本研究的目地在於，利用皮雅傑的教學理論以探討何以LOGO是學童幾何概念認知的一種理想環境，所欲探討的問題為：1)從皮雅傑的觀點來說，小孩的幾何概念是如何形成？2)LOGO究竟對學童幾何認知，提供了何種學習環境？3)LOGO能否作為有效的學習工具？4)LOGO學習環境對教師角色的影響如何？Children view their world through geometry. Geometry is an integral part of their everyday life. Many of their toys, i.e. blocks, balls and boxes teach them about geometric concepts. Mathematical educators have always sought ways of making the best use of a child`s living environment to teach him/her geometric concepts. Piaget`s theory of teaching children mathematical abstractions using concrete materials from the world around them is currently receiving much attention.Logo is designed on the basis of Piaget`s theory of learning to provide children with a learning environment that would enable them lo control their own learning and would help teachers look at learning in new ways.The purpose of this study is to examine the educational rationale of Logo learning in geometry using Piaget`s educational theory. The general questions which will be explored in this study are: 1) From Piaget`s point of view what are children`s conceptions of geometry? 2) What kind of learning environment does Logo provide for children`s learning of geometry? 3) Can Logo be used as an efficient learning tool? 4) How does a Logo learning environment effect a teacher`s role?