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From Intuitive Spatial Measurement to Understanding of Units

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Visualizing Mathematics

Part of the book series: Research in Mathematics Education ((RME))

Abstract

The current chapter outlines children’s transition from an intuitive understanding of spatial extent in infancy and toddlerhood to a more formal understanding of measurement units in school settings. In doing so, the chapter reveals that children’s early competence in intuitive spatial thinking does not translate directly into success with standardized measurement units without appropriate scaffolding and support. Findings from cognitive science and education research are integrated to identify (a) the nature of children’s difficulties with measurement units, (b) some effective instructional techniques involving spatial visualization, and (c) suggestions for how instruction could be further modified to address children’s specific conceptual difficulties with standardized measurement units. The chapter ends by suggesting that the most effective instruction may be that which directly harnesses the power of children’s early intuitive reasoning as those children navigate the transition into a deeper conceptual understanding of standardized units of measure.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA

    Eliza L. Congdon

  2. Lynch School of Education, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA

    Marina Vasilyeva

  3. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Kelly S. Mix

  4. Departments of Psychology, and Comparative Human Development and Committee on Education, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Susan C. Levine

Authors
  1. Eliza L. Congdon
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  2. Marina Vasilyeva
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  3. Kelly S. Mix
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  4. Susan C. Levine
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Correspondence to Eliza L. Congdon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Kelly S. Mix

  2. Department of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Michael T. Battista

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Congdon, E.L., Vasilyeva, M., Mix, K.S., Levine, S.C. (2018). From Intuitive Spatial Measurement to Understanding of Units. In: Mix, K., Battista, M. (eds) Visualizing Mathematics. Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98767-5_2

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