Abstract

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Symmetry: Culture and Science
Volume 34, Number 3, pages 317-332 (2023)
https://doi.org/10.26830/symmetry_2023_3_317

COMBINING PAPER FOLDING ACTIVITIES AND DYNAMIC GEOMETRY APPLICATIONS: GROWING STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF SYMMETRY FOR RECTANGLES, RHOMBI AND SQUARES

Marc Husband^1*, Asuman Duatepe-Paksu²

¹ Faculty of Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: mhusband@stfx.ca
ORCID: 0000-0002-3593-1097

² Faculty of Education, Pamukkale University, Denizli
Email: aduatepe@pau.edu.tr
ORCID: 0000-0003-2504-6294

^* corresponding author

Abstract: This study aimed to work on a method to improve students’ understanding of symmetry. We used a combination of paper folding and GSP activities and investigated their influence on students' understanding of the symmetry axes of a rhombus, rectangle and square. In addition, we also examined its effect on students' understanding of identifying these quadrilaterals. The results showed that there was uptake in students’ ability to identify more medians as symmetry lines of a rectangle. However, they also identified diagonals as lines of symmetry for the rectangle. Likewise, students identified medians as lines of symmetry for rhombi. The post-test results showed more students drawing medians as symmetry lines and fewer students recording diagonals as symmetry lines for both oriented and non-oriented squares. Additionally, students demonstrated a greater understanding of the rectangle-square relationship than the rhombus-square relationship.

Keywords: Paper folding, dynamic geometry application, symmetry line

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