Provisional Title An investigation into the use of geoboards visualisation tools in the teaching of quadrilaterals. Research Questions How can geoboards be utilized as a visualisation tool in the teaching of the properties of quadrilaterals in grade 7 classrooms? What are the teachers’ perceptions and experiences of using geoboards as a visualisation tool in teaching the properties of quadrilaterals as a result of the intervention?

Background and context The Namibian national curriculum for basic education compels mathematics teachers to be “creative and innovative to produce their own teaching and learning materials linked to practice” (Namibia. Ministry of Education, [ME], 2010, p. 6). Miranda (2007) observed that “in many Namibian classrooms… there is little focus on helping the learners to make sense of the mathematical content through the use of concrete learning aids” (p. 15) A survey by Dzambara (2012) which sought to investigate the types of teaching aids available in mathematics at both public and private secondary schools in Windhoek found that geoboards are rarely used in the schools Yet a geoboard is an important concrete teaching manipulative tool because much of what we want learners to learn about quadrilaterals can be accomplished with ‘geoboard figures’ (Kennedy & MacDowell, 1998).

Conceptual framework and theoretical considerations Visualisation (what makes geoboards to be a visualisation tool) Conceptual understanding Theoretical considerations Constructivist theory - Vygostky - Van Hiele’s level 1 of teaching geometry (level 1)

Methodology, Methods and Research design Interpretive paradigm Site and sample School with grade 7 (cluster) 3 participants ( 2 grade 7 teachers and I) Method: case study Approach: Qualitative (observation: video recording, SRI)

Research design Phase 1: Selection & Orientation of participants, securing of research site Phase 2: Awareness workshop, planning & learning programs Phase 3: Piloting & implementation of the learning programs, Phase 4: Video recording of lessons Phase 5: Analysis of videos with teachers, Stimulus Recall Interviews T1 T2 T3 Square 1, 2 Rectangle Trapezium 1, 2, 3 Rhombus 3, 4, 5 Parallelogram Kite 4, 5