U.S. and Taiwanese Preservice Teachers' Geometry Knowledge and Thinking

• In Event: Diverse Strategies for Preservice Teaching in K-12 Mathematics Classrooms Locally and Abroad

Abstract

This study investigated and compared the geometry knowledge and levels of pre-service elementary teachers from the United States and Taiwan. Forty pre-service teachers in Taiwan and forty-eight pre-service teachers in the United States at the beginning of their teacher-education programs completed the Entering Geometry Test (EGT) and the van Hiele Geometry Test (VHGT) developed by Usiskin (1982). The data gathered through these two tests were analyzed to determine if there are any significant differences in the geometric knowledge and van Hiele levels between the American and Taiwanese pre-service elementary teachers. The findings indicate that Taiwanese per-servic elementary teachers had sinigificantly higher mean score on EGT, and achieved higher van Hiele levels than their U.S. counterparts.

Authors

• Cheng-Yao Lin, Southern Illinois University

• Fenqjen Luo, Montana State University

• Jane-Jane Lo, Western Michigan University

• Der-Ching Yang, National Chiayi University