THE DIDACTIC UNIT TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF METRIC SPATIAL THINKING IN SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS

Abstract

Currently, mathematics education faces several challenges, among which low performance in spatial metric thinking stands out. This problem is reflected in students’ difficulty in understanding and applying concepts related to space and measurement, which is essential in multiple disciplines and everyday situations. To address this deficiency, a pedagogical practice has been implemented with the objective of “Developing a didactic unit based on problem posing and solving to promote spatial metric thinking.” This initiative is based on theories and research that supports a methodology centered on action research, proposing a problem-oriented learning approach. The designed didactic unit includes progressive activities that are presented virtually through remote learning guides. At the conclusion of the unit, an exit test was administered to evaluate students’ progress. In addition, a satisfaction survey was conducted to measure students' perception of the methodology employed. The results show that the implemented methodology has generated satisfactory progress in the development of students' spatial metric thinking, demonstrating the effectiveness of teaching based on problem-solving and active learning.