Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

• Level 0 Visualization

Students can identify objects by their overall
shape. They need to see many examples and
non-examples.
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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

• Level 1 Analysis

Students can discuss the parts that make up an
object. They need to measure, fold, cut, compare.
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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

• Level 2 Informal Deduction

Students can explain how parts relate to each
other. They can recognize class inclusion (e.g.
All squares are parallelograms.). This is the
lowest level at which a definition is meaningful.
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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

• Level 3 Formal Deduction

Students can use deductive arguments (proofs) to
confirm their conjectures.
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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding

• Characteristics of the model

The levels are sequential. Students cannot skip
a level. If the level of teaching and the level
of understanding are different, little learning
will take place.
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Van Hiele Model of Geometric Understanding
The levels start with an inductive approach and
work toward a deductive approach. Students begin
with many individual examples of a geometric
object. As they progress, they recognize
commonalities that allows them to consider
classes of objects. Examination of individual
examples also allows students to make
conjectures. They they must move to a deductive
level in order to prove or disprove their
conjectures.