Peer-reviewed article
Geometry and biocultural heritage in early childhood education
Sandra Ruperta Pérez Lisboa, Cristian Mejías ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view ·Key points
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Abstract
This study aimed to identify the biocultural geometric space in children from two rural schools in the commune of San Felipe, Chile, through a pedagogical approach based on the visualization level of Van Hiele’s theory. The methodology followed a Design-Based Research framework, implementing learning experiences contextualized within the local biocultural heritage. The sample was homogeneous and consisted of 25 preschool children, with participant observation and semi-structured interviews as instruments. The analysis revealed that the children developed skills in spatial orientation and organization and were able to identify 2D and 3D shapes in their surroundings. An initial understanding of attributes such as faces, vertices, and edges was observed. The results confirm that interaction with environmental elements and teacher mediation encourage geometric thinking. It is concluded that biocultural heritage is a powerful educational resource for re-signifying the learning of geometry in early childhood education.