VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 3
Hiele's theory of geometric thinking consists of five levels that describe how
children develop their understanding of geometric concepts. These levels progress
from basic visual recognition of shapes without formal understanding of their
properties (Level 0: Visualization) and identifying shapes based on their attributes
and characteristics (Level 1: Analysis), to more advanced levels—Level 2
(Abstraction), Level 3 (Deduction), and Level 4 (Rigor)—in which students
progressively identify and analyze geometric forms, moving toward increasingly
abstract reasoning (Crowley, 1987). Although this theory was not originally
developed with children with visual impairments in mind, previous research
applying it to learners with blindness suggests that foundational STEM-related
access skills—such as bimanual exploration, spatial awareness, and cognitive
integration—are especially essential for attaining the early stages of geometric
thinking (Levels 0 and 1) (Argyropoulos, 2022; Miyauchi & Thamburaj, 2025).
Therefore, Van Hiele's theory was used to help interpret the potential
developmental benefits of the different types of play activities described by the
participants.
Participants
This study involved a total of 25 adults with a visual impairment from Japan
(n=6), India (n=10), Germany (n=5), and the U.S. (n=4). These individuals
demonstrated both a passion and proficiency in STEM, as evidenced by their
