Abstract
In the past, geometry had a prominent place in mathematics education. But in recent decades, its role has diminished, with geometry presented in an axiomatic approach being faded out. There are at least two major reasons, as Schumann and Green (1994) argued, for this phenomenon. First, it is difficult for many students to explore the problems in geometry. They are simply given the theorems and asked to parrot the proofs. Second, it is difficult for most students to perform the necessary constructions accurately and not so many students can afford the time consumed in repeating drawings. Nowadays computers have been introduced in almost all classrooms and Dynamic Geometry Software are now available for mathematics teachers to use. Will these software make traditional geometry live again as some educators anticipated? In this paper, we will explore how mathematics teachers can make use of Dynamic Geometry Software to enhance their teaching of Geometry in classrooms and how students can use these software to explore Euclidean geometry. We will also attempt to see if there are any implications of the use of this sort of software for the mathematics curriculum – the aims, teaching strategies, contents and the assessment of teaching Geometry in schools. Copyright © 2000 Hong Kong Institute of Education.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Science technology education: Enhancing the quality of life through science & technology: Science & Technology Education Conference 2000 proceedings |
| Editors | Kenneth S. VOLK , Wing-mui, Winnie SO , Gregory P. THOMAS |
| Place of Publication | Hong Kong |
| Publisher | The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Education Dept., Hong Kong, Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics Education and Hong Kong Association for Design and Technology Education |
| Pages | 391-395 |
| ISBN (Print) | 962949056X |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |