The aim of this study was to investigate fifth- and sixth-grade students’ spatial reasoning performance with orthogonal views of cubic blocks. The cubic blocks were restricted to a 2 × 2 × 2 structure, with no flying ones. Three variables were considered in the study: grades, manipulatives, and tasks. The developed instrument comprised three categories of tasks: choosing isometric versus orthogonal views, cube enumeration given a base, and a compatibility task. The participants in the study were 127 fifth graders and 133 sixth graders from schools in Taipei, divided into two groups. The first group was assessed using tangible cubes (manipulatives), and the second group was tested without them. The results of the study were as follows: First, sixth graders significantly out-performed fifth graders, but the groups with and without manipulatives exhibited no significant difference. Second, the compatibility task was significantly more difficult than the other tasks. Further examination of the effects of the different given views proved the benefits of the top view. Finally, students were classified into the following four categories based on their performance: trial-and-error, sequential thinking, coordination, and integration.
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Fifth and Sixth Graders’ Reasoning Performance with Orthogonal Views of Cubic Blocks
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