Enhancing student's knowledge of integration of Geogebra in mathematics classes in lower secondary schools in Rwampara District.

Abstract

GeoGebra, an open-source Dynamic Mathematics Software (DMS), has emerged as a transformative tool in mathematics education, allowing students and teachers to visualize, explore, and manipulate geometric concepts in dynamic virtual environments. This study enhanced the students’ knowledge of integration of GeoGebra in mathematics classes in lower secondary schools in Rwampara District. The theoretical referents used in this study were Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The objectives of this study were to: identify abstract geometrical concepts that posed challenges to students, examine the impact of GeoGebra training on students’ learning of the identified abstract concepts, and assess the relationship between students' attitudes and the integration of GeoGebra. This study adopted quasi-experimental and cross-sectional survey designs with a quantitative approach. All 103 senior three students were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires along with pre-and post-tests. Independent samples t-test, Pearson's Linear Correlation Coefficient, and descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and frequencies were employed as data analysis methods. The study found that rotational transformation was the most abstract geometrical concept identified by students in the lower secondary school mathematics curriculum. The pre-test results indicated that respondents from the experimental and control groups had similar baseline knowledge of rotational transformation. However, the post-test results revealed a significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups. The experimental group achieved a significantly higher mean score than the control group and demonstrated a positive attitude in learning about rotational transformation with the software. Based on the study's findings, it was concluded that GeoGebra is an effective tool for teaching and learning rotational transformation, a geometry concept. It is a powerful resource that improves students’ conceptual understanding of geometrical concepts and engaging with knowledge in active and self-directed ways. Also, the study recommended that teachers should strongly consider integrating GeoGebra into their ICT-based teaching and learning resources to help improve students' motivation, attitude, and achievement in rotational transformations and other geometric concepts.