Article Sidebar

Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 211 Download : 56

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Main Article Content

Abstract

Despite the growing awareness of the importance of spatial reasoning in schooling years, there is a notable gap in research literature to promote spatial reasoning in early childhood education in Indonesia. This research aims to address this gap by building the capacity of Indonesian early childhood educators in designing play-based activities to support children’s spatial thinking and reasoning. Twenty early childhood education (ECE) educators coming from different area in Java, Indonesia participated in the study. The study employed design-based research methodology to examine the way in which research team and ECE educators work collaboratively to bring about innovative learning processes and changes in ECE’s practices. A key design principle of the study features play-based activities to promote children’s spatial reasoning skills in the early years were analyzed.  This study finds that the professional learning program provides support for ECE educators in three areas, such as foster an understanding of key numeracy concept including one-to one correspondence and cardinality and how it is being implemented, offer insights about spatial ability and its constructs, and exposure to spatially rich play-based activities that could be adopted for ECE centers.

Keywords

Early Childhood Education Educators Numeracy Play-Based Learning Professional Development Spatial Reasoning

Article Details

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Winarti, D. W., Widjaja, W., Razi, F., Huzaimah, S., Prianggi, A., & Setyawan, I. A. (2025). Empowering early childhood educators to foster spatial and numeracy reasoning through play-based learning. Journal on Mathematics Education, 16(3), 871–888. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.v16i3.pp871-888
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX

References

  1. Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2010). Australian Curriculum: Numeracy. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/numeracy/
  2. Battista, M. T. (2007). The development of geometric and spatial thinking. In F. Lester (Ed.), Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (Vol. 2, pp. 843-908). National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM].
  3. Brannon, E. (2002). The development of ordinal numerical knowledge in infancy. Cognition, 83(3), 223–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(02)00005-7
  4. Bubikova-Moan, J., Hjetland, H. N. & Wollscheid, S. (2019) ECE teachers’ views on play-based learning: a systematic review. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(6), 776-800. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2019.1678717
  5. Casey, B. M., Andrews, N., Schindler, H., Kersh, J. E., Samper, A., & Copley, J. (2008). The development of spatial skills through interventions involving block building activities. Cognition and Instruction, 26(3), 269–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370000802177177
  6. Cheng, Y.-L., & Mix, K. S. (2014). Spatial training improves children's mathematics ability. Journal of Cognition and Development, 15(1), 2-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/15248372.2012.725186
  7. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2009). Learning trajectories in early mathematics-sequences of acquisition and teaching. Encyclopaedia of Language and Literacy Development, 7, 1-6.
  8. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2011). Early childhood teacher education: The case of geometry. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 14, 133-148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-011-9173-0
  9. Clements, D.H., & Sarama, J. (2020). Learning and teaching early math: The learning trajectories approach. Taylor & Francis Group.
  10. Cobb, P., Confrey, J., DiSessa, A., Lehrer, R., & Schauble, L. (2003). Design experiments in educational research. Educational researcher, 32(1), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X032001009
  11. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th edition). Sage
  12. Crollen, V., & Noël, M.-P. (2015). Spatial and numerical processing in children with high and low visuospatial abilities. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 132, 84-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2014.12.006
  13. Davis, B., & The Spatial Reasoning Study Group. (2015). Spatial reasoning in the early years: Principles, assertions, and speculations. Routledge.
  14. Design-Based Research Collective. (2003). Design-based research: An emerging paradigm for educational inquiry. Educational Researcher, 32(1), 5-8. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X032001005
  15. Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2010). What makes mathematics play? Paper presented at the Shaping the Future of Mathematics Education, 33rd annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Fremantle. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED521030.pdf
  16. Early, D. M., Bryant, D. M., Pianta, R. C., Clifford, R. M., Burchinal, M. R., Ritchie, S., ... & Barbarin, O. (2006). Are teachers’ education, major, and credentials related to classroom quality and children's academic gains in pre-kindergarten? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(2), 174-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.04.004
  17. French, J. W. (1951). The description of aptitude and achievement tests in terms of rotated factors. The University of Chicago Press.
  18. Goos, M., Geiger, V., Dole, S. (2014). Transforming Professional Practice in Numeracy Teaching. In Li, Y., Silver, E., Li, S. (eds) Transforming Mathematics Instruction. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04993-9_6
  19. Government of Indonesia (2005). Undang-undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 14 Indonesia. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40266/uu-no-14-tahun-2005
  20. Government of Indonesia (2017). Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia No 19 Indonesia. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/4898/pp-no-79-tahun-2008
  21. Gowers, S. J. (2020). Mapping young children’s conceptualisations of the images they encounter in their familiar environments. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 22(2), 207-231. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798420919479
  22. Green, M., Björk, J., Forberg, J., Ekelund, U., Edenbrandt, L., & Ohlsson, M. (2006). Comparison between neural networks and multiple logistic regression to predict acute coronary syndrome in the emergency room. Artificial intelligence in medicine, 38(3), 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artmed.2006.07.006
  23. Harris, D. (2021). Spatial ability, skills, reasoning or thinking: What does it mean for mathematics? Excellence in mathematics education: Foundations and pathways. Proceedings of the 43rd annual conference of the mathematics education research group of Australasia. MERGA. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED616230.pdf
  24. Hasan, A., Hyson, M., & Chang, M. C. (eds). (2013). Early childhood education and development in poor villages of Indonesia: Strong foundations, later success. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/871851468254684989/pdf/Early-childhood-education-and-development-in-poor-villages-of-Indonesia-strong-foundations-later-success.pdf
  25. Hawes, Z., Moss, J., Caswell, B., Naqvi, S., & MacKinnon, S. (2017). Enhancing children's spatial and numerical skills through a dynamic spatial approach to early geometry instruction: Effects of a 32-week intervention. Cognition and Instruction, 35(3), 236-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370008.2017.1323902
  26. Hegarty, M., & Kozhevnikov, M. (1999). Types of visual–spatial representations and mathematical problem solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(4), 684-689. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.91.4.684
  27. Hegarty, M., & Waller, D. (2005). Individual differences in spatial abilities. The Cambridge handbook of visuospatial thinking, 121-169.
  28. Kmetová, M., & Lehocká, Z. N. (2021). Using tangram as a manipulative tool for transition between 2D and 3D perception in geometry. Mathematics, 9(18), 2185. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9182185
  29. Lazzara, L., Schmitt, A. M., & Leuchter, M. (2024). Exploration of a short-term in-service preschool teacher training on the implementation of scaffolding during block play. Proceedings of JURE2024. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30438.64323
  30. Lee, J. S., & Ginsburg, H. P. (2009). Early childhood teachers’ misconceptions about mathematics education for young children in the US. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 34(4), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910903400406
  31. Lee, S. (2012). Toddlers as mathematicians? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693911203700105
  32. Levine, S. C., Ratliff, K. R., Huttenlocher, J., & Cannon, J. (2012). Early puzzle play: A predictor of preschoolers’ spatial transformation skills. Developmental Psychology, 48(2), 530-542. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025913
  33. Lim, C. P., Juliana, L., & Liang, M. (2020). An activity theory approach toward teacher professional development at scale (TPD@Scale): A case study of a teacher learning center in Indonesia. Asia Pacific Education Review, 21(3), 409–421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-020-09643-2
  34. Linn, M. C., & Petersen, A. C. (1985). Emergence and characterization of sex differences in spatial ability: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 56, 1479-1498. https://doi.org/10.2307/1130467
  35. Lowrie, T., Logan, T., & Ramful, A. (2017). Visuospatial training improves elementary children’s mathematics performance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 87, 170-186. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12142
  36. Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology [MoERCT] Indonesia (2024). Peraturan menteri pendidikan, kebudayaan, riset dan teknologi Republik Indonesia Nomor 12. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/281847/permendikbudriset-no-12-tahun-2024
  37. Monighan-Nourot, P., Scales, B., Van Hoorn, J., & Almy, M. (1987). Looking at children's play: A bridge between theory and practice. Teachers College Press.
  38. Mulligan, J. T., & Mitchelmore, M. C. (2013). Early awareness of mathematical pattern and structure. In L. D. English & J. T. Mulligan (Eds.), Reconceptualizing early mathematics learning (pp. 29-45). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6440-8_3
  39. National Research Council. (2006). Learning to think spatially: GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum. National Academy Press
  40. Newcombe, N. S., Levine, S. C., & Mix, K. S. (2015). Thinking about quantity: The intertwined development of spatial and numerical cognition. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 6(6), 491-505. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1369
  41. Patahuddin, S. M., Rokhmah, S., & Ramful, A. (2020). What does teaching of spatial visualisation skills incur: an exploration through the visualise-predict-check heuristic. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 32(2), 307-329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00321-2
  42. Polinsky, N., Lemley, B., Flynn, R. M., Wartella, E., & Uttal, D. H. (2022). Children’s spatial play with a block building touchscreen application. Frontiers in Education, 7, Article 871895. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.871895
  43. Pradhan, M., Brinkman, S., Beatty, A., & Suryadarma, D. (2013). Evaluating a community-based early childhood education and development program in Indonesia (study protocol). Trials, 14(1), Article 259. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-14-259
  44. Putrawangsa, S., & Patahuddin, S. (2022). Embodied task to promote spatial reasoning and early understanding of multiplication. Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED623707.pdf
  45. Rahayu, C., Putri, R. I. I., Zulkardi., & Hartono, Y. (2022). Curiosity: A game-based early mathematics case. Journal on Mathematics Education, 13(2), 275-288, http://doi.org/10.22342/jme.v13i2.pp275-288
  46. Ramful, A., Lowrie, T., & Logan, T. (2017). Measurement of spatial ability: Construction and validation of the spatial reasoning instrument for middle school children. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 35(7), 709-727. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282916659207
  47. Robertson, N., Morrissey, A. M., & Rouse, E. (2018). Play-based learning can set your child up for success at school and beyond. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/play-based-learning-can-set-your-child-up-for-success-at-school-and-beyond-91393
  48. Schmitt, S. A., Korucu, I., Napoli, A. R., Bryant, L. M., & Purpura, D. J. (2018). Using block play to enhance preschool children’s mathematics and executive functioning: A randomized controlled trial. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 44, 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.04.006
  49. Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. (1971). Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171(3972), 701-703. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.171.3972.701
  50. Siemon, D., Bleckly, J., & Neal, D. (2012). Working with the big ideas in number and the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. Engaging the Australian National Curriculum: Mathematics–Perspectives from the Field. Online Publication: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 19-45). Retrieved from https://www2.merga.net.au/sites/default/files/editor/books/1/Book.pdf
  51. Sinclair, M., Mamolo, A., & Whiteley, W. J. (2011). Designing spatial visual tasks for research: the case of the filling task. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 78, 135-163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-011-9315-4
  52. Starr, A., Libertus, M. E., & Brannon, E. M. (2013). Number sense in infancy predicts mathematical abilities in childhood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(45), 18116–18120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1302751110
  53. Stea, D., Kerkman, D. D., Piñon, M. F., Middlebrook, N. N., & Rice, J. L. (2004). Preschoolers use maps to find a hidden object outdoors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(3), 341-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.05.003
  54. Susanti, A., & Pramono, R. (2024). Pre-service teacher professional education program (PPG) and TPACK in Indonesia. Education and Information Technologies, 29(1), 673–695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11523-0
  55. Syafril, S., Kurniawati, D., Jatmiko, A., Fiteriani, I., Kuswanto, C. (2021). Early childhood teacher professionalism based on academic qualifications and work experience, Jurnal Obsesi, 5(2), 1655-1666. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v5i2.937
  56. Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Totsika, V., Ereky-Stevens, K., Gildena, R. (2007). Curricular quality and day-to-day learning activities in pre-school. International Journal of Early Years Education, 15(1), 49–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760601106968
  57. Van den Akker, J., Gravemeijer, K., McKenney, S., & Nieveen, N. (2006) Educational Design Research. Routledge
  58. Verdine, B. N., Golinkoff, R. M., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Newcombe, N. S., & Bailey, D. H. (2017). Links between spatial and mathematical skills across the preschool years. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 82(1), 1-149. http://www.jstor.org/stable/45106900
  59. Wai, J., Lubinski, D., Benbow, C. P., & Steiger, J. H. (2010). Accomplishment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and its relation to STEM educational dose: A 25-year longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 860-871. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019454
  60. Winarti, D. W. (2018). Developing spatial reasoning activities within geometry learning. Journal of Physics: Conference series, 1088(1), 012004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1088/1/012004
  61. Winarti, D. W., Patahuddin, S. M., & Lowrie, T. (2024). Unleashing the potential: spatializing middle school mathematics for enhanced learning. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 117(3), 419-439. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-024-10343-3
  62. Winarti, D. W., Widjaja, W., & Fakhrur, R. (2024). Fostering early childhood educators’ capacity in spatial thinking and reasoning in Indonesia. The 15th International Congress on Mathematics Education. Sydney, Australia
  63. Wood, K., & Frid, S. (2005). Early childhood numeracy in a multiage setting. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 16(3), 80-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217402
  64. Xie, F., Zhang, L., Chen, X., & Xin, Z. (2020). Is spatial ability related to mathematical ability: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 113-155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09496-y
  65. Yilmaz, H. B. (2009). On the development and measurement of spatial ability. International Journal of Elementary Education, 1(2). 83-96. https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/279