Douglas E. McDougall
OISE/ University of Toronto
The working group on Geometry and Technology
will continue the discussion started in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1998 and
enhanced in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 1999. The focus of working groups was on the
integration of geometry and technology from the student and teacher perspective
in 1998 and on teacher preservice education in 1999.Ê The objectives for our working group were to:
ð explore teacher education,
ð investigate research questions,
ð coordinate future research,
ð identify questions to be investigated, and
ð identify commonalities and conflicts in research
findings.
We began by looking at preservice projects in technology and mathematics education.Ê We identified issues in preservice mathematics education and then investigated how the research was addressing the issues.Ê Some of the questions and issues that were raised included:
ð identification of the goals of instruction: -
technology use vs. geometric content
ð how to provide preservice students with
experiences to explore and reflect on their learning? *
ð in which topics does technology improve
learning? Which topics does technology impede learning or is it less useful? *
ð how do we fill in gaps in content knowledge
while developing pedagogical knowledge?
ð how to make technology less procedural and use
it as a problem solving tool? *
ð how is the problem solving process different
with and without technology? *
ð how to design activities that integrate
hypertext with geometric software and Derive.
The ones with the asterisk were then discussed by
small groups in four areas: how the research was addressing the issue, the
challenges to the research, the research questions, and how to conduct research
in collaboration with others.
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Clements
and Battista (1994) summarized a number of studies that suggest that geometric
computer environments can help develop students' thinking in geometry.Ê According to these studies, students can
make conjectures, evaluate visual manifestations of those conjectures, and
reformulate their thought (p. 188). In Tucson, we will explore student
geometric thinking and reasoning.Ê We
will have small presentations on how to increase geometric thinking and
reasoning (including proof) through the use of geometric technology tools.Ê Participants are invited to bring journal
articles and reports that will further our understanding in this area.Ê
Clements, D.H. & Battista, M.T.Ê (1994).Ê Geometry and spatial reasoning.Ê In D.A. Grouws (ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning.Ê New York: Macmillan, 420-463.