Optimizing Spatial Learning with RME (Realistic Mathematics Education) to Sharpen Conceptual Understanding

Abstract

This study aims to design and test the effectiveness of interactive didactic designs for teaching Flat Surface Shapes to eighth graders. This didactic design specifically integrates the Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach with game technology as the primary supporting medium. The methodology used is Didactical Design Research (DDR), which involves three cycle phases: 1) Preliminary Research, to analyze needs and identify three types of Learning Obstacles—namely ontogenetic, epistemological, and didactic—faced by students; 2) Testing Phase (Prototyping/Testing) through pilot experiments and teaching experiments; and 3) Retrospective Analysis to evaluate the learning process. The research participants were eighth-grade students. Research Results: The resulting didactic design proved to be highly valid theoretically (with an average score of 3.86 on a scale of 4) and highly practical in implementation, with 93.1% of students responding positively to the use of games. The analysis shows that this DD reduced the number of students who experienced limitations in conceptual understanding across test cycles. The integration of RME and games proved effective because games serve as a dynamic modelling medium, helping students transition from a contextual understanding to the formalization of mathematical concepts (for example, in calculating volume). This DD produced an empirically supported Local Learning Trajectory (LLT), indicating that the effectiveness of spatial learning is enhanced when the RME process is supported by game media that facilitates the transition from situational to formal thinking.