GeoGebra for learning and teaching: A parallel investigation

Abstract

In the study reported on here, we investigated the effects of the use of dynamic geometry software (DGS) (i.e., GeoGebra) on learners’ learning and a teacher’s beliefs. The learners and teacher involved in the study were from a high-poverty, rural high school in South Africa. We compared grade 11 learners (N = 56) who used GeoGebra in the context of learning circle geometry with learners who experienced geometry through traditional lecture-based instruction. Participating learners were from classes in a public school located in the rural Umkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal, Republic of South Africa. Results showed that learners using GeoGebra were more successful at solving problems and justifying their statements, while the other learners provided a limited justification for their answers. In a parallel and complementary investigation the teacher’s attitudes toward using GeoGebra as an instructional tool were considered qualitatively. Results showed that even in high-poverty, rural settings where the availability of technological resources are limited, the use of GeoGebra affected learners’ learning and had positive effects on the teacher’s beliefs regarding teaching and learning.

Keywords: Euclidean geometry; GeoGebra; performance; theorems and proofs