Effectiveness of Geo-Gebra in teaching learning Geometry (Anil Kandel)

 Effectiveness of Geo-Gebra in teaching learning Geometry

Anil Kandel 

(Mathematics Department) NPS Sanga

Abstract

This is the study entitled & quot; Effectiveness of GeoGebra in teaching learning Geometry & quot; has

been carried out to find out the effect of GeoGebra in teaching geometry and to explore the

student attitude about GeoGebra. Researcher selected purposive sampling and select the two

school from the Kathmandu. This research has conducted by using quantitative method focused

only experimental research design. Grade eight, fifty-seven students from two different two

school are in the same classes participated in this study with one class assigned as the

experimental group and the other as the control group. The researcher used achievement tool and

questionnaires to collect the data. Finding of this study showed a significant difference existed in

the mean scores between these two groups. The result indicated that students in the experimental

group outperformed those in the control group. In addition, a questionnaires instrument had used

to find the student perception about the GeoGebra. Result show student has positive attitude

about GeoGebra. Analysis of the questionnaire responses indicated a positive overall perception

about GeoGebra in learning geometry. Finally, the research work proved the GeoGebra is the

effective tool teaching geometry.

Keyword

Effectiveness, GeoGebra, Quantitative, Questionnaires, Positive response

Background of the Study

         Use of technology in the teaching Geometry is essential for last two decades. Developed

country like America, Japan and Malaysia are using technology in the teaching and learning

Geometry. Geometry is the main part of the mathematics. In the geometry teaching, they are

using different software such as GeoGebra, Mathematica, and Geometer Sketchpad. Human are

familiar with the technology now a days. Human are using cellular phones, text messaging, email

and social media for communications. Thus, technology can used to apply in the teaching

geometry.

         Computer, projector, multimedia, internet, cell-phone and so on terminology can used to

learn the geometry content in mathematics. Computer is an electronic device which can take row

data and manipulate it and after the manipulate it gives the result to the user. Projector is the

output device, which can help us to make a large image of any picture. Multimedia is the way of

communication between learners and dynamic tools. Internet is the collection of information and

new knowledge. So, technology can used in teaching and learning geometry. In the contexts of

Nepal, the use of software in teaching is meaningful or not? It is important to find out the result.

The achivement of the students increase or decrease, it must be tested. Thus, the paper had

intended to test the GeoGebra in the teaching geometry at grade IX in Nepal.

         Effectiveness of GeoGebra in teaching Geometry at grade Eight in Nepal is the locus of

the study. GeoGebra is the dynamic tool, which used in the mathematics classroom to encourage,

investigation, discovery, and show the concept at dynamic way and to visualize the concept of

geometrical figures, by utilizing GeoGebra in teaching, Student can learn through exploring,

investigation and discovering, GeoGebra enhance student's higher order thinking orders thinking

skill in geometry (Hohenwarter, 2008). So, it is effective tool for student and teachers.

         There is space to discover or to find out the new knowledge in the field of teaching

Geometry. Different method are using in teaching. Among them use of technology is the one of

them, very few school of the Nepal are using technology in teaching and learning. So, it is the

challenge and is still in the problems to find the result to apply the software in learning

Geometry. GeoGebra is a computer software for mathematics for learning Geometry, algebra,

calculus kindergarten to University level (Hohenwarter, 2008). Thus, it's application in

Geometry teaching and effect of GeoGebra in teaching Geometry or not? What is the perception

to the student about the GeoGebra? To find the answer of the above question it is necessary to

study.

Objective of the Study

This study had intended to determine the following objectives:

·         To compare the effectiveness of GeoGebra assist teaching method over traditional teaching methods in teaching geometry.

·         To explore the student perception about GeoGebra in the learning of Geometry.

Design of the Study

The study is design to examine the effectiveness of Geogebra in the geometry teaching at grade

eight. The Quantitative method had used in this research. In this study, the researcher used

experimental design to answer the formulated research question. According to Best and Kahn

(2006) experimental research describes Experimental Design as;

Groups                 Pre-test         Treatments                                         Post-test

Experimental         O 1             GeoGebra assist Teaching                 O 2

Control                 O 3                                                                           O 4

 

Population, Sample and Sampling Strategy

Population: The number of student study in the Kathmandu is the total population.

Sample: Two school had selected by the convenience sampling. Fifty-seven students are

selected for the data collection, among them 30 students were selected for experimental group

and 27 students were selected for the control group. The student had selected from grade eight of

both school.

Data collection Tools and Instruments

Achivement test

         An achievement test had prepared by the researcher wos the main instruments of

collections of data for the study which had the type of instruments to be used depending upon the

objective of the study. Obviously, in subjective type of instruments researcher had used the

achievement test in teaching geometry. The researcher has point out the main topics of geometry

of grade eight; they are Angles, parallel lines, triangles, and related problems. These all topics of

the unit geometry has instruct at six hours period and had present in the class. From the same

content, the achivement test had constructed.

Questionnaires

         To find out the perception of student about the GeoGebra set of survey questionnaires

had prepare and at the experimental group had tested. To develop the question online research

paper and supervisors advice has taken and around 10 different items, which can help the full-fill

the objective has collected and a set of question had developed (Appendix-I). In addition, the

open-ended question with the student and mathematics teacher and principal done and regular

observation tool also apply the in the study.

Finding and Discussion

         From the result of the Experimental study, the researcher had the finding. Researcher

select the two non-equivalent group as the experimental and control group. After the 1 weak

study the researcher apply the GeoGebra in the experimental group as the independent variable

and test the result as the output or dependent variable as the achievement of the student. Make

the strong data the researcher apply the Questionnaire and Interview tool to find the data.

According to the all tool the researcher found, the 2.58 mean different between the two groups

after apply of the GeoGebra. The mean of the experimental group was 11.23, which had increase and

tend to 17.76 but the control group was 12.07 at the pre-test and increase at the post-test as 15.18 is

limited increment in the compare of the experimental group.

         The finding of the research had the significant different between the experimental and control

group. The t-test shows that the calculated value of t is -0.0745 in the pre-test, which is not

significant result but in the post-test, the calculated value had 2.36 where the tabulated value is 1.96

which value is less than the calculated value. Thus, the t-value report shows that the 0.05 level of

significance in the 55 degree of freedom is different. Which show that the null hypothesis rejected

and the alternative hypothesis accepted. Which can concluded that the effectiveness of GeoGebra in

teaching geometry take positive sounds. 

         The attitude of the student about the GeoGebra specially, in the field of excited, learning

process, confidence level, benefited through interaction, enjoying while learning provide by student

100% positive result. The remaining topics provide more than 50% positive result. Therefore, the

student attitude about the GeoGebra had positive. Mathematics teacher and Principal also provide the

positive sound about the GeoGebra. Thus, the next finding of the research work has the positive

attitude about the GeoGebra.

Conclusions

         In this study, the GeoGebra software has proven to be an effective tool in enhancing

Mathematics teacher and learner, especially in learning geometry in the basic level. Student were

motivated and taking positive attitude to learn the geometry through the GeoGebra.  It is better to

learn self and peer discussion rather than passive learners. The GeoGebra play the role of ZPD of

the student and the level of the understanding of the student also increasing. So, the police level

need force to apply the technology in the classroom. Training should provide to Mathematics

teacher and encourage them to apply in the technology and apply the GeoGebra software while

teaching geometry. Regular supervision should be in the classroom.

 

References

Best and Kahn (2010), Research in education, tenth edition, New Delhi, Prentice Hall of

India Pvt. Ltd.

Bruner, J. (1973). Going beyond the information given, New York: Norton Press.

Dewey,J.(1916). .Democracy and Education, An Introduction to the Philosophy of

education, New York: Free Press.

Hohenwarter, M., Jarvis, D., & Lavicza, Z. (2009). Linking Geometry, Algebra and

Mathematics teachers: GeoGebra software and the establishment of the International

GeoGebra Institute. The International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education,

16 (2), 83-86.

Kemp, A. (2006). Clocks, angles and functions. Mathematics Teaching, 198, 35-37.

Leong, K. E. (2013). Impact of Geometer’s Sketchpad on student achievement in graph

functions. The Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 1(2), 19-31.

NCTM,(2000). Principles and standards for school Mathematics Reston,VA: Nation

Council of teachers of Mathematics.

Piaget,J.(1971). Biology and Knowledge, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Sahaa, R., Ayub, A., & Tarmizi, R. (2010). The effects of GeoGebra on Mathematics

achievement: Enlightening coordinate geometry learning. Procedia Social and

Behavioral Science, 8, 686-693. 

Vygotsky, L.S.(1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological

processes. Cambridge, MA: Haarvard University Press.

www.doe.gov.np/npenglishmain/educationsystem.php.

By Anil Kandel (Mathematics Department)

NPS Sanga