The Effects of 4D-Frame Teaching upon Mathematically Gifted Elementary Students' Mathematical Creativity and Spatial Sense

Abstract

Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a gifted educational program in a math-gifted class in elementary school using the recently developed 4D-frame. This study identified which impact this program has on spatial sense and mathematical creativity of mathematically gifted students. The investigation attempted to contribute to the developments of the gifted educational program. To achieve the aim, the study analysed 5 and 6th graders' figure learning contents from a revised version of the 2007 national curriculum. According to this analysis, twelve learning sections were developed on the basis of 4D-frame in the math-gifted educational program. The results of the study are as follows. First, a learning program using 4D-frame for spatial sense for mathematically gifted elementary school students is statistically significant. A sub-factor of spatial visualization called mental rotation and sub-factors of spatial orientations such as sense of distance and sense of spatial perception are statistically significant. Second, the learning program that uses 4D-frame for mathematical creativity was statistically significant. The sub-factors of mathematical creativity such as fluency, flexibility and originality are all statistically significant. Third, the manipulation properties of 4D-frame helped to understand the characteristics of various solid figures. Through the math discussions in the class, participants' error correction was promoted. The advantage of 4D-frame including easier manipulation helped participants' originality for their own sculpture. In summary, the learning program using 4D-frame attributes to improve spatial sense and mathematical creativity for mathematically gifted students in elementary school. These results indicated that the writers' learning program will help to develop the programs for gifted education program in the future.