CREATIVITY IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY: HOW CAN AN INTERACTIVE 3D-GEOMETRY SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT ENHANCE IT?

This paper reports the outcomes of two empirical studies undertaken to investigate the creative abilities of sixth grade students in three-dimensional (3D) geometry and to analyse the way in which an interactive 3D geometry software environment enhanced that abilities of two students. The analysis indicated that students' creative abilities in terms offluency, flexibility and originality were very low in both studies. But the interactive 3D geometry software improved the creative abilities of students who worked in this environment. The interactive geometry environment offered opportunities to students to imagine, synthesize and elaborate. It appears that enhancing students' ability to imagine, synthesize and elaborate may be a way to enhance students' creative abilities.