Dynamic Geometry Environment And Its Relation To Thai Students’ Higher-Order Thinking: Reasoning In Euclidean Geometry

Since its introduction in the late 1980s, Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) has become one of the most innovative tools in mathematics education. It is defined as graphical software, where geometric figures can be constructed with pre-defined relationships, which will retain when the figures are dynamically manipulated. This digital tool provides a new geometry learning environment inherently different from the traditional paper-and-pencil mode. This research investigates the situation where learners interact directly with this dynamic geometry environment. It examines how learners interpret DGS key features; such as drag-mode and parent-and-child relationship, and how such interpretations relate to their higher-order thinking of reasoning in geometric tasks. Three types of reasoning strategies are pursued in this research. These are: inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning and abductive reasoning. How and to what extent the DGS environment plays a role in the learner's reasoning strategies and arguments is the question at the focus of this research.<br/><br/>Vygotsky's model of tool used as mediated activity and Verillon &amp; Rabardel's Instrumented Activity Situation (IAS) model are used as a framework for this research. These models help to distinguish the independent roles of the learner, the DGS tool, the designed tasks and Euclidean geometry in the overall setting. They also help to clarify the influences that each of these entities may have on each other. The research is conducted in Thailand with a Thai version of The Geometer's Sketchpad to a group of 14-15 year-old lower secondary students. The research method used is a task-based interview, where pairs of students perform geometric construction and exploration tasks with Geometer's Sketchpad while the researcher challenges their reasoning.<br/><br/>This research finds the tension between the deductive reasoning nature in Euclidean geometry, the inductive nature of visual presentation in the dynamic geometry environment, and the influence of students' experience in the paper-and-pencil environment on their interpretation of dynamic geometry. Abductive reasoning is found to be students' main reasoning strategy, with a combination of inductive and deductive reasoning to support their verification of the hypothesis.<br/>

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

King's College London

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Maiduang, Alongkot

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Webb, Mary Elizabeth
• Stevenson, Ian James

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/f3395341-41de-4cb5-9a0b-0c2834f681b7

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/f3395341-41de-4cb5-9a0b-0c2834f681b7