FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

PART A: STUDENT AND ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

STUDENT NAME: KUZHANGAIRA NYASHA
REG NUMBER: R2215761B
PROGRAMME: BED ICT
LEVEL: 2.2
MODULE CODE: ICT 333
MODULE TITLE: ICT IN MATHEMATICS

DUE DATE: 26 APRIL 2024

LECTURER NAME: DR CHITANANA

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC: How can interactive educational software such as GeoGebra or

Desmos be used to enhance primary school students understanding of basic geometric shapes
like squares, rectangles, triangles and circles. Provide specific examples of activities or
lessons that utilize the software to engage students in hands on exploration and promote
learning of geometric concepts.

PART B: MARKERS COMMENTS

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MARKER’S NAME………………………… SIGNATURE: …………………

DATE: ……………………………………………… MARK:

Geometric shapes are an integral part of the primary school mathematics curriculum, and they

play a crucial role in developing a child's spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.

However, traditional methods of teaching these shapes can be mundane and less engaging for

young learners. This is where interactive educational software such as GeoGebra or Desmos

comes in. These tools provide a visual and hands-on approach to learning geometric

concepts, making it more exciting and enjoyable for students. Interactive educational

software has become an essential tool in modern teaching methods, and one such software

that has gained popularity across primary education is GeoGebra In this essay, we will

explore how this software can be utilized to enhance primary school student's understanding

of basic geometric shapes and provide specific examples of activities or lessons that utilize

the software to engage students in hands-on exploration and interactive activities.

GeoGebra was designed by Markus Hohenwater as an open‐source dynamic mathematics

software that incorporates geometry, algebra, and calculus into a single, open ‐source, user ‐

friendly package (Hohenwarter, Jarvis, & Lavicza, 2008). This software combined features of

older software programs such as Maple, Derive, Cabri, and Geometer’s Sketchpad (Sahaa,

Ayub, & Tarmizi, 2010). GeoGebra is a free and user‐friendly software that connects

geometry and algebra (White, 2012). Therefore, GeoGebra is a dynamic yet user-friendly

software that provides a variety of tools for exploring and understanding basic geometric

shapes, such as squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles.

Interactive educational software refers to computer programs or applications that are

designed to engage students in the learning process through interactive and immersive

experiences. These software programs aim to enhance student learning outcomes by

providing a hands-on, minds-on approach to education.

Interactive educational software has the potential to increase student engagement, motivation,

and understanding of complex concepts, making learning more enjoyable and effective.

Interactive educational software like GeoGebra or Desmos can enhance primary school

student's understanding of basic geometric shapes in various ways which include visualizing

and manipulating shapes, interactive lessons and activities, real-time feedback and

assessment, and collaborative learning.

Visualizing and manipulating shapes

According to Ranganathan, S. (2014), GeoGebra allows students to create and manipulate

shapes using digital tools, exploring properties and relationships for them to discover

important math concepts. This is because GeoGebra offers a variety of visualization tools that

allow students to explore and manipulate geometric shapes effortlessly. For instance, students

can use the "Move" tool to drag and resize geometric shapes, allowing them to see the

relationship between different shapes and their properties. This hands-on approach helps

students to develop a deeper understanding of the characteristics of shapes, such as the fact

that a square is a special type of rectangle with equal sides. This can also be reinforced

through activities such as the "Square or Rectangle" lesson, where students are asked to

identify which shape a given set of sides corresponds to, promoting critical thinking and

application of knowledge.

Furthermore, GeoGebra's "Dynamic Geometry" feature allows students to construct shapes

and explore their properties systematically. For example, in the "Construct a Triangle"

activity, students are given three sides and are asked to construct a triangle using the given

measurements. This hands-on approach to constructing shapes helps students to understand

the concept of congruence and how different combinations of sides can result in a different
type of triangle, further strengthening their understanding of geometric shapes. (White,

2012).

Interactive lessons and activities

According to Akkaya, A., Tatar, E., & Kagizmanli, T. (2011), cited by SHADAAN, P.

&Kwan Eu, L., GeoGebra or Desmos Software offers pre-made lessons and activities, such

as building shapes with blocks or puzzles, promoting hands-on exploration. There are also

practice activities that students can use to master the skills they have learned. Moreover,

GeoGebra offers interactive games such as "Guess the Shape" and "What's My Name?" that

enable students to have fun while learning about shapes. In the "Guess the Shape" game,

students are given clues about a particular shape's properties, and they must identify the shape

before time runs out. This game not only promotes knowledge of geometric shapes but also

enhances students' problem-solving skills and time management. Similarly, in the "What's

My Name?" game, students are given a shape, and they must correctly identify its name by

dragging and dropping the corresponding name tag. This game promotes students' memory

and attentiveness, ensuring active engagement and reinforcement of knowledge.

In addition to interactive activities and games, GeoGebra also offers lesson plans on various

geometric concepts, such as symmetry, congruence, and area. These lesson plans incorporate

hands-on exploration and visual representation, allowing students to develop a more profound

understanding of the concepts. For instance, in the "Symmetry in Squares and Rectangles"

lesson, students use GeoGebra's reflection tool to explore lines of symmetry in different

shapes, strengthening their understanding of the concept of symmetry.

Real-time feedback and assessment

The software provides immediate feedback on student creations, helping identify

misconceptions and track progress. this is because GeoGebra materials are available for

interactive math lessons and offer free tools for an interactive learning and exam experience.

GeoGebra, a dynamic mathematics software, offers various activities that can provide real-

time feedback and assessment to students, helping to identify misconceptions and track

progress. Some activities related to this in GeoGebra include building Models and Problem

Solving. GeoGebra can be used effectively to provide immediate feedback to students about

their initial attempts to build models and solve problems, allowing for real-time assessment

and feedback on their creations.

(https://hal.science/file/index/docid/837488/filename/ICMI_STudy_22_proceedings_2013-

FINAL_V2.pdf)

In addition, Performance Analytics and Misconception Addressing activity using GeoGebra

can provide performance analytics to help address misconceptions and track progress in real

time. This can be particularly useful in identifying learning gaps and offering timely feedback

to students so that they can grasp concepts more effectively. These activities showcase how

GeoGebra can be utilized to provide immediate feedback on student creations, helping to

identify misconceptions and track progress in mathematics education.

Collaborative learning

GeoGebra allows students to work together on projects, share ideas, and learn from each

other. This is supported in the Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology by

SHADAAN, P. &Kwan Eu, L. When they outlined that GeoGebra software acts as the

primary scaffold in assisting and guiding the students to reach their zone of proximal

development (ZPD). The students were required to work in pairs to construct diagrams and

make observations based on their constructions. Students formed their interpretations through
shared understanding with the guidance of the GeoGebra where they were able to explore and

visualize on their own. On top of that, the teacher and peers also played a part in the

scaffolding process. They also added that the use of the GeoGebra software not only

increased student scores but it was observed that the software enabled the realization of a

vibrant classroom where cooperative and collaborative principles of learning were evident.

In addition, Collaborative learning using GeoGebra or Desmos software can enhance

students' understanding of basic geometric shapes like squares, circles, and triangles.

Through the feature of Shape Exploration in GeoGebra, have students work in pairs to

explore and manipulate geometric shapes using GeoGebra's interactive tools.

In conclusion, interactive educational software such as GeoGebra or Desmos can enhance

primary school student's understanding of basic geometric shapes in many ways. These tools

provide a visual and hands-on approach to learning, making it more interactive and engaging

for students. The software also allows students to manipulate and explore different shapes

and observe their properties, leading to a deeper understanding of geometric concepts.

Therefore, incorporating these tools in teaching geometric shapes can make the learning

experience more enjoyable and effective for young learners. As Albert Einstein once said,

"Learning is experience. Everything else is just information." With GeoGebra, students not

only gain knowledge about geometric shapes but also experience them, making their learning

more meaningful and impactful.

REFERENCES

SHADAAN, P &Kwan Eu, L. Effectiveness of Using GeoGebra on Students’ Understanding

in Learning Circles. The Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology. Volume 1,

Issue 4.

Ranganathan, S. (2014). Use of dynamic geometry software - GeoGebra in teaching of

mathematics. International Journal of Development Research, 4(9), 2045-2048.

Hohenwarter, Jarvis, & Lavicza, (2008). 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.

Sahaa, Ayub, & Tarmizi, (2010). The effects of GeoGebra on Mathematics achievement:

Enlightening coordinate geometry learning. Procedia Social and Behavioral Science, 8, 686-

693.

White, (2012). The impact of technology on student engagement and achievement in

mathematics classroom. Paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

degree of Masters of Education, Memorial University, NL.

Task Design in Mathematics Education. Proceedings of ICMI Study 22 •

https://hal.science/file/index/docid/837488/filename/ICMI_STudy_22_proceedings_2013-

FINAL_V2.pdf