Perceptual Fluency in Geometry Achievement Spring 2009 v2

Theory Wiki:
http://www.learnlab.org/research/wiki/index.php/Perceptual_Fluency_in_Geometry_Achievement%28Kao%29

Geometry students often struggle to interpret and use information presented in diagrams. Some researchers argue that this is the most difficult part of geometry problem-solving. Prior research has found that distractors (numbers and lines that are not needed to solve the problem) on a geometric figure have a detrimental effect on problem-solving.

All students took a short, basic test of spatial and other cognitive skills at the beginning of the study.

Half of the students from each geometry class were randomly selected to receive additional tutor instruction on reading geometric figures. This extra instruction consists of two parts: height/base recognition and height/base identification, and will be inserted just prior to Area of Triangles and Quadrilaterals (rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids).

All students will receive the regular tutor instruction for Area and Perimeter.

Students took an immediate post-test in an as-you-go fashion, right after completing the Area and Perimeter tutor. Students also took a delayed post-test at the end of the school year.

The student who ran this project (Yvonne Kao) has graduated. For more information, please contact her at [e-mail].