Analysis of Changes in Robot Activity Levels in Mathematics Classes Based on Van Hiele Theory

Abstract

This study designed robot programming classes toward mathematical concepts and curriculum to introduce robotics, a representative technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, into the mathematics classroom, and analyzed the changes in students’ van Hiele levels. This study presented the robot activity levels (RLs) per the van Hiele levels of geometric thinking (VLs), and applied each RL to the class’s design, including tasks. The students’ learning process and class results were analyzed to ascertain whether their VL increased. The class was conducted with gifted middle school students, and utilized LEGO Mindstorms EV3, an extensively used educational robot. While performing RL based tasks, students sequentially completed tasks RL1~RL4. This study focused on the task performance process of VL3 students to investigate how they transition to a RL beyond their VL. As students performed the five tasks designed to help them transition from VL3 to VL4, reflecting the rise in the van Hiele levels of geometric thinking, they gradually progressed through the active inquiry and finally reached VL4 by completing RL4 tasks.