PME-NA

Exploring the Potential of a VR Tangram Game for Enhancing Students’ Mathematics

• In Event: Poster Session #1
  In Poster Session: Exploring the Potential of a VR Tangram Game for Enhancing Students’ Mathematics

Description

Research on mathematical cognition has shown that mathematical reasoning is embodied and tied to perception, action, spatial systems, and physical motions (Nathan, 2021). One cognitive resource associated with mathematical thinking is spatial reasoning (Atit et al., 2021), which is rooted in embodied experiences with space (Tversky, 2008). Studies have shown that embodied interaction-based interventions, particularly those utilizing motion-tracking technologies and tangible interaction, are powerful for enhancing spatial abilities (Lee-Cultura & Giannakos, 2020; Gittinger & Wiesche, 2023) and related mathematical understanding (Daughrity et al., 2024). However, investigations of how these interventions may impact mathematical reasoning are limited. This pilot study examines how embodied and immersive spatial experiences in virtual reality (VR) can impact high school students’ spatial and mathematical skills.

Authors

• Kelsey Schenck, Southern Methodist University

• Prajakt Pande, Southern Methodist Universisty