Eighth grade students’ views about giving proof and their proof abilities in the geometry and measurement

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, Harel and Sowder’s proof schemes of taxonomy were applied for identifying eighth grade students' learning of proof and proofing. This study aimed to examine what kind of proof schemes are used in geometry and measurement learning areas and student’s skills in giving proof and their opinions about proof. Qualitative methods were used. The first part consisted of 40 students', were selected by using convenient sampling, were administered the proof skills inventory. The second part consisted of semi-structured interviews with six students who were randomly selected through a convenient sampling. Proof skill inventory was administered to 40 students and semi-structured interviews with randomly selected 6 students were done. The results of the study indicated that eighth grade students had intermediate level proof skills. In-depth analysis of the students confirmed that the students who got high scores used the axiomatic proof schema, those who had a moderate score used basic proof examples, and those who had low scores used the authoritarian proof schemas.