Identifying Concepts Created for Geometric Objects: Mind Map

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine the knowledge, perceptions and misconceptions of preservice primary school teachers about geometric objects through mind maps. For this purpose, the research was designed with a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 52 pre-service primary school teachers studying at a state university in the Aegean Region of Turkey. After giving information about mind maps to pre-service primary school teachers, they were asked to create mind maps about the concept of “Geometric Objects”. The created mind maps were subjected to content analysis and codes and categories were created. The mind maps of pre-service primary school teachers were analysed one by one, starting from the centre towards the outer branches and separated as related and unrelated concepts. As a result of the research, it was revealed that most of the pre-service primary school teachers who participated in the study used the concepts of geometric objects and geometric shapes interchangeably. In addition, as a result of the analysis of the first branches of mind maps, it was determined that unrelated concepts were more than related concepts. Very few of them have reached the fourth branch in the mind maps created by pre-service primary school teachers, and they had difficulty explaining the concept. In line with the results obtained from the research, the concepts related to geometric objects should be taught in the undergraduate education of pre-service primary school teachers to provide meaningful learning about geometric concepts in pre-service primary school teachers.