How Do Symmetries Come To Children, and Vice Versa?
Proceedings of Bridges 2013: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture
Pages 539–542
Short Papers
Abstract
This paper showcases mathematics taught during art lessons at lower secondary school, where children selected mathematics as the best instrument to reach their selected artistic objectives. Children connected basic geometry transformations with artistic expression, then described and (on certain level) formalized them, and finally, applied their discoveries to create personal monograms. This approach has tangential connections with contextual learning, and operates by fostering algorithmical thinking and strong emotional motivation. It can be also seen as a complementary example of Papert's MediaLab studies.