scholarly journals Teachers’ Instrumentation of a Collaborative Dynamic Geometry Environment

Horizontes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 172-183
Author(s):  
Muteb M. Alqahtani ◽  
Arthur B. Powell

We draw on the theory of instrumental genesis (RABARDEL; BEGUIN, 2005) and the notion of co-action (HEGEDUS; MORENO-ARMELLA, 2010) to understand how teachers’ instrumentation of dynamic geometry environment (DGE) and how this instrumentation shapes their geometric knowledge. In small groups, six middle and high school mathematics teachers engaged in solving open-ended geometric problems in an online dynamic geometry environment for 15 weeks. Our analysis of their interactions indicates that the co-action between the teachers and the environment helped them appropriate the dragging feature of DGE, which shaped their understanding of geometrical relations, particularly dependencies. Designing tasks that support teachers’ effective appropriation of DGEs requires special attention to the co-active nature of DGEs. This study provides insights into aspects of learners’ collaborative interaction with certain technologies.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
MEHMET FATIH ÖÇAL ◽  
TUĞRUL KAR ◽  
GÜRSEL GÜLER ◽  
ALI SABRI İPEK

This study aims to investigate the similarities and differences between prospective mathematics teachers’ creative thinking skills in paper-pencil test and on a Geogebra-supported environment in terms of problem-posing. This case study used purposive sampling method for determining the participants. Findings revealed that the activities carried out in the GeoGebra-supported environment were insufficient to produce creative problems, and GeoGebra’s main utility to prospective teachers was in identifying their mistakes related to mathematical concepts and discrepancies among numerical values of the problems posed. The reasons for the low achievement in posing problem were discussed: These were; (i) lack of problem-posing experience, (ii) the structure of problem-posing activity, and (iii) prospective teachers’ mathematical content knowledge.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-148
Author(s):  
Birnaz Kanbur Tekerek ◽  
Ziya Argün

This study examined problem posing situations of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers in dynamic geometry environment by using problem posing strategies. The qualitative method of multiple case study was applied and geometric concepts that participants used for each type of problem posing are examined. Eight participants from 3rd grade pre-service mathematics teachers voluntarily participated in the study in 2015-2016 fall semester had previously received Computer Aided Mathematics course in the 2014-2015 spring semester. During six weeks’ data collection period, participants tried to pose new problems via dynamic geometry software by using given problem posing situations and their studies were recorded by screen saving program. The relationship between the problems that given to them and the concepts in the new problems were examined through screen recordings. Findings show new problems are established in parallel with the shape or problem statement in the problem posing situations given to them. Compared with other types of problem posing situations, it is seen the concepts are more diversified in the free problem posing. Participants develop their problem posing skills during the process so it is suggested these topics should be included in mathematics education undergraduate program in order for future students to gain these skills.


10.31355/12 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 063-071
Author(s):  
Agyei Fosu

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................. The main aim of the study is to identify some of the barriers to the integration of technology into the teaching of mathematics in high schools. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................. Writing on chalkboards as a method of transferring knowledge is a key feature of traditional approach to teaching may have been successful in the past, but the minds of the current generation vary from those of the previous generation. Today’s students are immersed in technology. They are much more up-to-date on the latest technology and gadgets. Technology has certainly changed how students access and integrate information, so it plausible that technology has also changed the way students thinks. Growing up with cutting-edge technologies has left them thinking differently than students of past generations. This call for new innovative approaches to teaching that will cater to the students of today. Of course it is not wise to discard the traditional way of teaching that the past teachers have painstakingly created because of its past and some current success. This is why it is recommended to use this approach as a base for the new ones. Thus, if there is a way to transfer the advantages of this approach of teaching to new innovative approach then teachers should do everything in their power to merge the past and the present into one innovative teaching approach. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................. Purposeful sampling was used to survey a total of 116 high school mathematics teachers in the former Transkei Homelands. But only 97 questionnaires were deemed usable because of the way they have answered the questions. Microsoft excel was used in the descriptive statistics Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................. To identify some barriers that need to be addressed by stakeholders, policy makers in high school education so that high school mathematics teachers will be able to integrate technology into their classroom teaching to meet today students’ learning needs. Findings...................................................................................................................................................................................................... The results indicated that the participating teachers need to be trained and supported in the use of the new technologies applicable to teaching mathematics. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................................... The Eastern Cape department of education needs to consider the lacked of technology training as a barrier to the integration of technology into the teaching of mathematics and take necessary steps to address it. Recommendation for Researchers........................................................................................................................................................... There is the need to explore in depth whether the factors of gender and age also act as barriers. Impact on Society....................................................................................................................................................................................... The research will assist stakeholders, policy makers of high school education to identify the needs of mathematics teachers. That is to say, the skill sets, experience and expertise, as well as teaching equipment and classroom design and environment required by mathematics teachers. Future Research........................................................................................................................................................................................... More work needs to be done to check whether gender, age of the teachers have some effects on their attitude towards technology integration as well as evaluate the role played by choice of teaching methodology and teaching objectives.


ZDM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haim Elgrably ◽  
Roza Leikin

AbstractThis study was inspired by the following question: how is mathematical creativity connected to different kinds of expertise in mathematics? Basing our work on arguments about the domain-specific nature of expertise and creativity, we looked at how participants from two groups with two different types of expertise performed in problem-posing-through-investigations (PPI) in a dynamic geometry environment (DGE). The first type of expertise—MO—involved being a candidate or a member of the Israeli International Mathematical Olympiad team. The second type—MM—was comprised of mathematics majors who excelled in university mathematics. We conducted individual interviews with eight MO participants who were asked to perform PPI in geometry, without previous experience in performing a task of this kind. Eleven MMs tackled the same PPI task during a mathematics test at the end of a 52-h course that integrated PPI. To characterize connections between creativity and expertise, we analyzed participants’ performance on the PPI tasks according to proof skills (i.e., auxiliary constructions, the complexity of posed tasks, and correctness of their proofs) and creativity components (i.e., fluency, flexibility and originality of the discovered properties). Our findings demonstrate significant differences between PPI by MO participants and by MM participants as reflected in the more creative performance and more successful proving processes demonstrated by MO participants. We argue that problem posing and problem solving are inseparable when MO experts are engaged in PPI.


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