The Use of a Dynamic Geometry Software With Young Students

Author(s):

Francine Athias(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Format:

Paper

Session Information

27 SES 05 A, Teaching Strategies in Classroom Discourses

Paper Session

Time:

2013-09-11

11:00-12:30

Room:

A-204

Chair:

Florence Ligozat

Contribution

A lot of works on the introduction of a DGS in a classroom (Jones 1999, Assude 2005, Laborde 2007) have already presented some results, about students interpretations, about time management, or about changes that technology brings. This communication aims to show how the construction of geometric objects through the use of a Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) could widen students access to geometrical concepts. Our case we study is about students in fifth grade in primary school using the DGS Tracenpoche. The difference between a drawing software (or a drawing on a sheet) and a DGS is the dragging test : when elements of a construction are dragged all the properties employed in constructing the figure are preserved. A drawing is an object on the screen, a figure is the class of drawing which have the same geometrical invariants. I argue that this change of environment thanks to the DGS could lead students to change their mind about geometry. I'd like to show that students would construct their mathematical knowledge through the use of the software thanks to the feedback provided by the software and the teacher is needed to enable students to discover the role of the dragging test. In this communication I describe students and teacher joint action with categories of the Joint Action Theory in Didactics (Sensevy 2011, Sensevy 2012) : the didactic contract as a system of habits between the teacher and students, the didactic milieu as an antagonist system to the previously taught one, learning games as the description of the teacher's game on the student's game linking the didactic contract and the didactic milieu.

Method

The method is a kind of designed based research. I propose five class sessions to a teacher. He could adapt them as he wanted. The methodology is based on Video analysis of the sequence. The class sessions were videotaped and transcribed, taking into account verbal and non-verbal behavior. To do so, I use the synopsis as technique of reduction. I highlight every changes of learning games. I analyze students and teacher joint action. I choose a couple of students working with the software which were videotaped and transcribed too.

Expected Outcomes

I'd like to show how using the software tracenpoche leads the teacher to explicit a lot of relations between different geometric objects, whereas pupils need them in the software. Especially constraints of the tool aim students to focus on geometrical properties and lead them to think about geometrical objects at first and not about drawing objects in a single perceptual way. But this co-construction about geometrical notions is difficult to obtain. The teacher has to be clear on the purpose of the DGS, students need to take care of instrumental constraints while geometric objects are the focus. I try to highlight how the teacher and students are required to work in the new environment (tracenpoche) on a mathematical knowledge they have already worked.

References

Assude, T. (2005). Time management in the work economy of a class, a study case : integration of cabri in primary school mathematics teaching. Educational Studies in Mathematics, vol 59 pp. 183-203. Jones, K;(1999). Students interpretations of the dynamic geometry environment, In I. Schwang (Ed), European Research in Mathematics Education, vol 1, pp. 245-258. Laborde, C. (2007), The role and uses of technology in mathematics classrooms : between challenges and modus vivendi. Canadian Journal of Science. Mathematics and Technology Education, 7(1), pp. 68-92. Sensevy, G. (2011). Overcoming Fragmentation: Towards a Joint Action Theory in Didactics. In B. Hudson & M. Meyer (Eds.), Beyond Fragmentation : Didactics, Learning and Teaching in Europe (pp. 60-76). Opladen and Farmington Hills : Barbara Budrich. Sensevy, G. (2012). About the Joint Action Theory in Didactics. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft Berlin: Springer.

Author Information

Francine Athias (presenting / submitting)

Université de Franche Comté

IUFM de Franche Comté

Chemaudin

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