7th grade students' perception, definition and classification of the polygons

The aim of the research is to identify students? perception, definition and classification style of the polygons at seventh grade.Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches have been considered in the study. The quantative research included 611 seventh grade students from 10 different primary school chosen randomly and the qualitive research included 27 student at different succses level in 2009-2010 Education Year.The data were collected by Personal Information Form, Polygon Perception and Classification Test, and interview form for the qualitative research. The independent variations which were thought to have an effect on the students? perception, definition and classification style of the polgons were obtained by using a ?Personal Information Form?. ?Polygon Perception and Classification Test? Which includes 40 questions was developed and applied by the researcher was to determine the levels of polygon perception and classification ability of students.Research data have been obtained through using ITEMANN and SPSS 15.0. The data were analyzed using independent samples t-test, analysis of variance, correlation, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. When F values were significiant, Scheffe or Dunnett?s C test was applied to find out the origin of difference among groups.According to research finding it has been determined that, students usually use prototype figures and percieve them as a general figure; students don?t have understanding a hierarchical relation of the quadrilateral and prefer partial classification; when students define polygons, they make definitions uneconomical and which don?t contain the necessary and sufficient conditions; inability to use mathematical language affect students defining negatively and students? personal polygon definitions are different from formal definitions. Also quantitative findings indicated that there is positive, significant and high correlation between students? polygon perception and classification ability and accoding to gender variable, there isn?t significant difference between students? polygon perception and classification ability.