Investigation of The Geometric Concepts Thinking Levels of Primary School Students According to SOLO Taxonomy and Van Hiele Geometric Thinking Theory

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the geometric thinking levels of primary school students within the framework of the SOLO Taxonomy and the Van Hiele theory of geometric thought. Accordingly, the study was designed based on a correlational survey model. The sample consisted of 200 students from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades of a primary school in Samsun during the 2022-2023 academic year. Data were collected using a geometry test designed to measure Van Hiele and SOLO taxonomy levels, and were subsequently analyzed with the SPSS21. The findings of the study revealed that participants' levels of geometric thinking, according to the Van Hiele and SOLO taxonomies, were concentrated at levels 0 or 1. An analysis of the test results showed a statistically significant difference in the scores of 4th-grade students compared to other grade levels, whereas no significant difference was found among the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. Regarding the gender variable, the analysis did not find any significant difference between the total geometry test scores of male and female students. In light of these findings, it is recommended that the geometry learning outcomes for all primary school grade levels be restructured, taking into consideration the Van Hiele stages of geometric thought and the SOLO taxonomy.