Int. j. econ. manag. soc. sci., Vol(4), No (3), March, 2015. pp.

358-361

TI Journals

International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences

www.tijournals.com

ISSN:
2306-7276

Copyright 2015. All rights reserved for TI Journals.

The Influence of Teaching Geometry through Games on Enhancing the

Creativity of 10-year-old Boys in Isfahan Mathematics House
Cobra Emamirizi
Ph.D. student, Department of Educational Sciences, Khorasgan (Isfahan) branch, Islamic Azad University,Isfahan, Iran.

Fariba Haghani *
Associate professor, Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Alireza Yousefy
Associate professor, Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
*Corresponding author: fariba.haghani@gmail.com

Keywords

Abstract

Geometry-teaching program
Game method
Creativity

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of teaching geometry through games on the
creativity of 10-year-old children. The method used was quasi-experimental. The participants were eighteen
10-year-old children who had enrolled and participated in the geometry classes in Isfahans House of
Mathematics in the summer of 2013; they were selected randomly. The test applied in order to assess the
childrens creativity was the Torrance Test of Creativity, form B, which was administered at the first
session. The children were taught geometry for 12 sessions and took the Torrance test again at the last
session. The results were analyzed via dependent t-test. The research results showed that the geometryteaching program led to increased creativity in these children.

1.

Introduction

Thinking is doubtlessly the most important endowment by God to human beings. Thinking grants human being superiority among other
creatures, proving him/her with the right path towards evolution. One of the most complicated and highest realizations of human thinking is
creativity, which has for years attracted the attention of behaviorists [1]. Creativity refers to planned imaginary activities the result of which is
the creation of new, valuable products [2].
Castlo (2008) explains the process of creativity as such: The process of creativity appears in the individuals unconscious as unique ideas,
thoughts, images, colors, forms, words, imaginations, dreams, emotions and excitement [3].
Generally, teaching of geometry is carried out in a teacher-oriented, teacher-centered, and prescriptive method. These methods restrict creativity,
perception and imagination [4]. Also, Shoenfeld confirms the idea that students cannot have sufficient creativity in traditional classes;
furthermore, this approach is problematic for many of teachers and students, both groups considering geometry as a boring subject.
Consequently, it is not surprising that many students lose interest in geometry. Traditional teaching methods do not provide students with any
opportunity except for sitting on the classroom bench and listening, while they are supposed to let the students get involved in the teaching
process for the purpose of meaningful learning. The important problem of todays schools is related to teaching methods which have made
students escape from mathematics [4]. Students do not respect their teachers, show negative attitudes towards mathematics and geometry,
considering them as useless.
It appears that understanding geometry is difficult for many students, and if researchers could find reasons for general problems in this subject,
teachers could find a plan for overcoming these problems [5].
Creativity requires a time for progress and enrichment of experiences [6]. Also, the experts views and research findings suggest that creativity is
an important part of ideals and goals expressed in literacy and technology standards; however, have we provided creative environments in our
so-called Children and Adolescent Intellectual Development Centers? Have we procured training courses, beautiful teaching institute, and
laboratory materials and facilities required for the realization of creativity? Have we made students to face the challenge of creativity,
responsibility and their duties in this regard? [7]
Creative students have different characteristics than those of their classmates, which should be considered by their teachers; characteristics such
as progress which is not simultaneous as that of others, different interests, emotional sensitivity, and ethical virtues Research in the field of
teaching creativity have mainly reached the conclusion that we can both teach creativity and develop it [8].
Theoreticians maintain that creativity consists of 4 elements, the understanding of which can greatly help the development of creative thinking
[9]:
1. Fluidity: the power of creating many ideas and answers. One of the main elements of creative thinking is that the individual be able to
create ample ideas. We have witnessed for years that there is a considerable difference between those students who remain quiet and
isolated in classrooms and those whom are stricken with a plethora of ideas.
2. Flexibility: The ability of mind-shifting or of proposing various ideas. Sometimes the ideas which develop in a persons mind are
various and related to different strata.
3. Initiative: The ability to propose new idea or product. Sometimes people can create a variety of ideas in their minds, but these ideas
might lack the element of initiative.
4. Expansion or details: The ability to pay attention to the details of an idea.
The study carried out by Emami (2011) regarding the influence of group games on the development of creativity in 6-year-olds (applying an
experimental method on pre-school children in the city of Shiraz) suggested the significant influence of games on the development of
creativity[10]; also, in a study on the influence of teaching the course of development of creativity upon the enhancement of creativity among
female students (done via a semi-experimental method), Ghassemi (2005) found that those students who had passed this course obtained higher
creativity scores.[11]

359

The Influence of Teaching Geometry through Games on Enhancing the Creativity of 10-year-old Boys in Isfahan Mathematics House
International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences Vol(4), No (3), March, 2015.

2.

Methodology

The research method in this study was quasi-experimental with a pre- and post-test design. The statistical population consisted of all the 10-yearold children of Isfahan who had enrolled and participated in the educational workshop in the summer 2013; out of this population, 18 children
were randomly selected.
The tool used in this research was the Torrance creative thinking test (Visual Form B).
The visual creativity test form B is one of the Torrance creative thinking tests published by Personnel Publications in 1974. The visual shapes in
this test require answers which are mainly of a drawing or imaginary nature. The criterion for assessment in this test is the existence of ideas
within images, not the quality of the images; therefore, any sign indicating creative thinking will be taken into account while assessing.
Therefore, with the least amount of skill in drawing, an individual would be able to show a moderate to good level of performance. The
visual form B consists of three tasks: making images, completing images, and drawing circles. This test yields an overall creativity score as well
as four scores for fluidity, flexibility, initiative, and expansion. The time allowed for each task is 10 minutes, totally amounting to 30 minutes
[12].
2.1 Validity and reliability
As for the validity of the Torrance creativity test, the validity coefficient with an interval of 10 weeks has been reported as 0.82 for fluidity, 0.78
for flexibility, 0.59 for initiative, and 0.83 for the whole set [12].
The validity of the Torrance creative test form B in the Iranian sample, which comprised of 50 students in district 10 of Tehran Education
Office, (with an interval of 2 weeks) was 0.80 [12].
2.2 Stages of the implementation of the research
Stage 1: conducting the pre-test; at the first session, the researcher administered the Torrance creative test form B on the students who
participated in the study.
Stage 2: applying the experimental task on the students; at this stage, the students took part in workshops 1.5 hours per week for three months,
the report of which has been summarized below.
Stage 3: At this stage, post-test (Torrance creative test) was administered.
Table 1. Stages of the research
Session
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

3.

Tasks
Administering the Torrance test
Introducing the game and its tools (nail board, thread, and geometry teaching box)
Playing with the thread and using fingers for English letters
Working with the nail board, which requires using fingertips; making geometric shapes
Continuation of work with nail board; in the previous session, the student would make geometric shapes,
but in this session they should make new shapes; they try to make as many shapes as possible.
Tying knots on the thread and discovering new shapes
Geometry teaching box; making the box full and empty (regardless of the color of the pieces)
Filling the box, this time with checking the time (regardless of the color of the pieces)
Filling the box and creating patterns specified by the teacher via changing the colors
Filling the box and creating patterns (Time is important.)
Filling the box and creating new patterns (The student himself/herself creates patterns.)
Conducting the Torrance test

Results

First question: Does teaching geometry through games enhance creativity in 10-year-old boys?
Table 2. Descriptive data related to creativity score
Creativity pre-test score
Creativity post-test score

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

34.9444
44.9444

18
18

8.34176
7.48703

1.96617
1.76471

Table 3. Comparison of creativity pre-test and post-test

Creativity pre-test and post-test

Mean
-10.00000

Std. deviation
5.80061

t
-7.314

Df
17

Sig. (2-tailed)
0.000

As show in Table 2, the mean creativity pre-test score is 34.94, and after the students participated in the workshop, it has increased by 10. With
regard to the significance in Table 3, which is less than 0.05, it can be said that the increase in score is significant; therefore, the research null
hypothesis is rejected, while the research hypothesis purporting the influence of teaching geometry though games on the creativity of 10-yearolds is hereby confirmed.
Second question: Does teaching geometry via games influence fluidity in 10-year-old boys?
Table 4. Descriptive data related to thinking fluidity score

Fluidity pre-test score

Fluidity post-test score

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

4444.5
6.7222

18
18

1.54243
2.02355

0.36355
0.47696

Cobra Emamirizi, Fariba Haghani *, Alireza Yousefy

360

International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences Vol(4), No (3), March, 2015.

Table 5. Comparison of thinking fluidity pre-test and post-test score

Thinking fluidity pre-test and post-test

Mean
-1.27778

Std. deviation
1.84089

t
-2.945

Df
17

Sig. (2-tailed)
0.009

As shown in Table 4, the fluidity pre-test mean score is 4444.5, which has increased by 1.3 after workshop participation; with regard to the
significance in Table 5 (less than 0.05), it can be said that the increase in fluidity is significant; therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected while the
research hypothesis purporting the influence of teaching geometry through games upon the fluidity of thinking in 10-year-olds is confirmed.
Third question: Does teaching geometry through games influence the thinking flexibility score in 10-year-old boys?
Table 6. Descriptive data related to thinking flexibility score
Flexibility pre-test score
Flexibility post-test score

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

4.5556
7.4444

18
18

1.24722
1.33823

0.29397
0.31542

Table 7. Comparison of thinking flexibility pre-test and post-test scores

Thinking flexibility pre-test and post-test

Mean
-2.88889

Std. deviation
1.64098

t
-7.469

Df
17

Sig. (2-tailed)
0.000

As shown in Table 6, the thinking flexibility mean score is 4.55, which has increased by 2.9 after workshop participation. With regard to the
significance in Table 7 (less than 0.05), it can be concluded that this increase in score is significant, hence the null hypothesis is rejected, while
the research hypothesis indicating the influence of teaching geometry via games upon the flexibility of thinking among 10-year-olds is
confirmed.
Fourth question: Does teaching geometry via games influence the expansion score in 10-year-old boys?
Table 8. Descriptive data related to thinking expansion score
Mean
Expansion pre-test score
Expansion post-test score

13.7778
15.5556

Std. Deviation
18
18

Std. Error Mean

6.40363
7.00607

1.50935
1.65135

Table 9. Comparison of thinking expansion pre-test and post-test

Thinking expansion pre-test and post-test

Mean
-1.77778

Std. deviation
4.97707

t
-1.515

Df
17

Sig. (2-tailed)
0.148

As shown in Table 8, the thinking expansion pre-test mean score is 13.77, which has increased by 1.8 after workshops. However, with regard to
the significance in table 9 (greater than 0.05), it can be said that this increase in score is not significant, hence the null hypothesis is confirmed
while the research hypothesis purporting the influence of teaching geometry via game on the thinking expansion score among 10-year-olds is
NOT confirmed.
Fifth question: Does teaching geometry through games influence the initiative score among 10-year-old boys?
Table 10. Descriptive data related to initiative score
Initiative pre-test score
Initiative post-test score

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

11.1667
15.2222

18
18

4.25994
3.52396

1.00408
0.83061

Table 11. Comparison of initiative pre-test and post-test

Thinking expansion pre-test and post-test

4.

Mean
-4.05556

Std. deviation
3.03842

t
-5.663

Df
17

Sig. (2-tailed)
0.000

Conclusion

One of the most complicated and highest realizations of human thinking is creativity, which has for years attracted the special attention of
behaviorists. Population growth, shortage of food resources, diseases, ethical and social crises, and scores of others are among the problems that
human beings are able to overcome through creative thinking. In this study, the researcher tried to teach geometric concepts to 10-year-old
children through playing games, and the results were indicative of the influence of this kind of teaching on enhancement of creativity.
Furthermore, this influence was also observed in creativity components fluidity, initiative, and flexibility and the findings were in
compliance with those found by Emami and Ghassemi.
However, as was noticed in Table 9, the research hypothesis purporting the influence of the program on childrens thinking expansion was NOT
confirmed. In this case, about 2 grades of increase has been reported, but probably the size of the sample was not large enough to exert a
significant influence. Another point of importance is that expansion of thinking is related to attention to details, while it was not sufficiently
taken into consideration in the researchers program.

361

The Influence of Teaching Geometry through Games on Enhancing the Creativity of 10-year-old Boys in Isfahan Mathematics House
International Journal of Economy, Management and Social Sciences Vol(4), No (3), March, 2015.

References
[1]
[2]

Hosseini, Afzalossadat. (2008). The Nature of Creativity and Ways of Developing it. Mashhad. Astan Ghods Razavi Publications.
Loveless, Avril, Denning, Tim, Fisher, Tony & Higgins, chris(2008).Creativity-A-Scape:Mediascapes and Curriculum integration. Published online: 23
September 2008.springer science + Bussines Media, LLC 2008.
[3] Costelloe, T.M. (2008). Humes phenomenology of the imagination. The Journal of Scottish Philosophy, 5(1), 31-25.Retrieved May 20, 2008, from
Academic Search Complete database
[4] Prescott, A., Mitchelmore, M., & White, P. (2002). Student difficulties in abstracting angle concepts form physical activities with concrete materials. In B.
Barton, K. C. Irwin, M.
[5] Handescomb, K (2005) Image based reasoning in geometry. Thesis sub mitted in partial full fill mend of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science. In the faculty of education.
[6] Kerr, Barbara(2009).Encylopedia of Giftedness Creativity and Talent.University of Kansas.volum 2.
[7] Warner, Scott and L. Myers,Kerri(2010).The Creative Classroom:The Role of Space and Place Toward Facilitating Creativity.The Technology Teacher
December. January 2010.
[8] Amabile, T. M. (2007).Creative Boom. Translated by H.Ghasenzade & P.Azimi.tehran.donyaey noo.
[9] Torrance, E.P. (1988). The Nature of Creativity as Manifest in Its Testing. In R.J,Sternberg (Ed.). The Nature of Creativity (PP.43.47). UK: ambridge
University Press.
[10] Emami,cobra. Mohammad Hossein Yarmohamadian. Abed Gholami.(2011). The Effect group plays on the Development of the Creativity of Sixyear
Children. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 15 (2011) 21372141
[11] Ghasemi,farshid,(2006),the effect of the instruction creativity on Enhancing the Creativity of 10-year-old Boys, Journal of Educational Innovations, Number
13
[12] Pirkhaefi, A. Reza; Borjali, Ahmad; Delavar, Ali; and Eskandari, Hossein. (2009). The influence of teaching creativity on metacognitive components of
creative thinking among university students, in Educational Management and Leadership Quarterly, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar branch, 3rd year,
Vol. 2, Summer 2009