Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education

Jacoliene van Wijk; Rogier Bos; Anna Shvarts; Michiel Doorman

doi:10.29333/ejmste/15911

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Jacoliene van Wijk ¹ ² ^* , Rogier Bos ¹ , Anna Shvarts ¹ , Michiel Doorman ¹

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¹ Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht, THE NETHERLANDS² Freudenthal Institute^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Mathematical origami can be a valuable tool for teaching mathematics. This study explores mathematical origami teaching practices in secondary education. The addressed research question is: What do mathematics teachers report about their professional experimentation with mathematical origami in the secondary education classroom? The study focuses on exploring and describing these professional experiments. Using grounded research theory, we analyzed 45 articles written by teachers from four countries. Four key categories emerged from our analysis: mathematical topics taught using mathematical folding, teachers’ reasons for using folding, aspects of a teaching process, and advice for teachers. In a validation process, experts confirmed these categories. Our findings indicate that mathematical origami is applied across a broad range of topics and domains, with various reasons for its use, and diverse learning objectives achieved in different lesson phases. Teachers also encourage their colleagues to incorporate folding into their classrooms and provide valuable advice for implementation.

Keywords

mathematical origami
grounded research
professional experimentation
mathematical folding
secondary education
professional publications

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Review Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 21, Issue 2, February 2025, Article No: em2572

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

Publication date: 02 Feb 2025

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Article Downloads: 50

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How to cite this article

APA

van Wijk, J., Bos, R., Shvarts, A., & Doorman, M. (2025). Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(2), em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

Vancouver

van Wijk J, Bos R, Shvarts A, Doorman M. Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(2):em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

AMA

van Wijk J, Bos R, Shvarts A, Doorman M. Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(2), em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

Chicago

van Wijk, Jacoliene, Rogier Bos, Anna Shvarts, and Michiel Doorman. "Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2025 21 no. 2 (2025): em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

Harvard

van Wijk, J., Bos, R., Shvarts, A., and Doorman, M. (2025). Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(2), em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911

MLA

van Wijk, Jacoliene et al. "Mathematics teachers’ professional experimentation with mathematical origami in secondary education". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 21, no. 2, 2025, em2572. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15911