Incorporating GeoGebra software in the teaching of circle theorem and its effect on the performance of students

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of GeoGebra software on senior high school students’ academic performance in Circle Theorems. The study also assessed the students’ attitudes towards the use of GeoGebra in teaching and learning of Circle Theorems. The study made use of simple random sampling (lottery method) and purposive sampling techniques select two Form 2 classes from two different schools within the Bono Region. The sample size for the study was 78 students. The study used a pre-test post-test nonequivalent research design. The pre-test scores were used to establish that students in the two schools had similar or equivalent abilities in geometry before the intervention. The post-test scores were used to determine the differences in academic performance between students who were taught Circle Theorems with the use of the GeoGebra software and students who were taught using the conventional method of teaching to learn Circle Theorem. The students who used in the GeoGebra software in the teaching and learning of geometry performed better than their peers who did not use the software. The study also found that the use of GeoGebra in teaching and learning increased the interest of students to learn geometry. Based on the findings, it was recommended that integrating the use of computers and interactive educational software into the teaching and learning of mathematics will help improve students understanding in mathematics and find the geometry interesting to learn