Asian Research Thesis Index

Abstract

In the Pakistani context, teachers and students often find it difficult to teach and learn geometry, particularly proofs using deductive reasoning skills. Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) is a widely recognised tool that mediates students’ reasoning skills. However, its efficacy in developing the reasoning skills has not yet been explored in the Pakistani school contexts. Before spending the time and resources in integrating the software in geometry instruction, it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of DGS in the Pakistani context. This study, therefore, aimed at determining the effect of DGS (Geogebra) on reasoning skills of students of Grade 7 in one of the private schools in Karachi, Pakistan. The study used quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design. Sample of 40 and 36 students comprised Experiment Group (EG) and Control Group (CG), respectively. In the pre-test CG performed significantly better than EG (U=468, z=-2.659, pr=0.31). However, in the post-test, score of EG (Mdn=6.50) was higher, as compared to score of CG (Mdn=6.00), although the difference was not significant which is represented by small sized effect (U =615.50, z=-1.098, p>0.05, r=0.125). Specifically, DGS-based instructions resulted in significant improvement at visualisation level as compared to the instructions without DGS. However, both instructions (with and without DGS) were equally helpful at the analysis and deduction level. Nevertheless, no improvement was reported at the informal deduction level. The findings of this study encourage the practitioners to use DGS for the development of students’ geometrical reasoning, especially while designing the instructions at visualisation level.

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