• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.273-288
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• 2014

In recent years, coding education has been globally emphasized and the Free Semester System will be executed to the public schools in Korea from 2016. With the introduction of the Free Semester System and the rising demand of Computational Thinking (CT) capacity, this research aims to design 'learning environment' in which learners can design and construct mathematical objects through computers and print them out through 3D printers. Furthermore, it will design learning mathematics by constructing the figurate number patterns from 'soma cubes' in the playing context and connecting those to algebraic and combinatorial patterns, which will allow students to experience mathematical connectivity. It is expected that the activities of designing figurate number patterns suggested in this research will not only strengthen CT capacity in relation to mathematical thinking but also serve as a meaningful program for the Free Semester System in terms of career experience as 3D printers can be widely used.