Effect of Dynamic Geometry Software on Male and Female student’s Achievement in Geometry in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Omotosho, Gabriel Akinlolu

Mathematics and Statistics Department,

Nasarawa State Polytechnics, Lafia

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on data taken from a gender study of senior secondary school one students in Nasarawa State on learning aspects of geometry using dynamic geometry software. Dynamic geometry software promises direct manipulation of geometrical objects and relations. This paper reports aspects of a research study deigned to examine the impact of using such software on male and female student conceptions. Analysis of the data from the study indicates that, while the use of dynamic geometry software can assist students in making progress towards more mathematical explanation (thereby provide a foundation on which to build further notions of deductive reasoning in mathematics), the ‘dynamic’ nature of the software influences the form and explanation, especially in the early stages. The focus for the analysis is the students’ evolving mathematical explanations as they tackle problems involving the construction of various quadrilaterals. The use of dynamic geometry software can assist students in making progress towards more mathematical explanation (and thereby provide a foundation on which to build further notions of deductive reasoning in mathematics), and the ‘dynamic’ nature of the software influences the form of explanation, especially in the early stages. This underlines the vital role of the teacher in ensuring that the students’ ability to devise explanations moves from reasoning to more general mathematical language.