Geogebra as a Cool Tool
This is a 6- petal flower inscribed in a circle. The objective of the investigation was to find the area of the six pedals in the circle. The figure was drawn using the tool .Geogebra.
I have chosen Geogebra tool. It is a dynamic mathematics software. Geogebra is a multiple platform application that works on windows, mac, linux, android and ipad. Its latest version is 5.4.0. Geogebra is in both commercial and non profit use. Users can share their projects in the geogebra cloud as well as keep their work private. This software application is licensed under General Public License.
- This mathematical application allows students to represent math concepts in algebra, geometry, and calculus. Geogebra geometry application gives many options to draw geometric forms.It starts from points on the coordinate system, drawing various types of segments, rays, lines, angles, and various types of polygones. The student can also measure the length of segments, and angles. The author of Reflective Educator mentions that he likes the feature of exporting an existing file instead of create a new drawing as well as using the input text box that labels for example the equation of the line.As you can see from the figure below the input screen at the bottom allow the user to generate variables that measure either angles or lengths.For example, as the user moves the vertices of the triangle, one can see the values of the quantities measured in real-time. There are so many other functions that this software can do. I recommend to download the latest version for free to have a feel for it.
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I will use the Geoogebra tool as a supplementary tool to solidify the understanding of geometry concepts to students. First, As a prospective teacher, I should have a solid grasp of the content geometry as well as the know how to use the geogebra software application.The step by step instruction to student is an example to improve their understanding learning geometry concepts.
This is an example of using Geogebra in the classroom setting where knowledge of Content, technology and pedagogical skills are combined to direct this activity in the classroom led by the teacher. All students have access to computers where Geogebra is already installed. Students follow the the teacher to construct the geometric form.
An illustration of a class notes using Geogebra tool ( Taken from concept of geometry class)
Electronic Constructions with GeoGebra
The GeoGebra software should be on your computer. If it is not, you can go to HYPERLINK "http://www.geogebra.org/" http://www.geogebra.org/, click on “Start Creating” in the center, select “Geometry”.
Note: Ctrl z is the “undo” command that you will probably use very often.
Activity 1: Discovering the sum of the measures of the angles of a triangle with GeoGebra.
Use the segment tool three times to make a triangle. The segment tool is 3rd from the left, 2nd down. The endpoints need to be on top of each other. Check that the endpoints are really attached by dragging on each endpoint (1st from left, 1st down).
Measure the three interior angles (8th over, 1 down) by selecting three consecutive vertices (say C, B, A to measure the angle at B). If you get an exterior angle, hit “Ctrl z” and measure again selecting the vertices in the opposite order. Make sure that nothing else is selected when you do this.
Now you will find the sum of the measures of the interior angles. At the bottom of the screen there is an input box. Type
SumInterAngles=
and hit Enter. To get the symbols , and , click on the symbol on the right side of the input box. It brings up a menu of symbols. You should see the result in the Algebra View window.
Now we will show the result in the Graphics View window with a text box. Click on the text tool, it looks like ABC, (10th over, 1 down) to create a text box. Then click on the screen and you will be given a text box. Type: “The sum of the interior angles is ” (see note below), and then click on the “SumInterAngles” in either the Algebra View window or locate in the dropdown menu under “Objects” in the text box, and then hit enter.
Note: In the text box there is a drop down menu called “Symbols”. The first row in this menu is called Basic and its submenu has the symbols and .
Drag each of the vertices using the move tool (1st over, 1 down). What conjecture would you make?
The sum of the measures of the interior angles in a triangle is .
On the other hand the author of the article explained how geogebra fit in TPACk education
The author sees Geogebra in the TPACK framework as an organizer as well as an amplifier. The second one,geogebra eliminates that tedious drawing near perfection by hand or using ruler , protractor and compass. Meanwhile geogebra as organizer, its dynamicity gives the student another view of understanding the concept vis-a-vis to the static drawing in the paper.
Geogebra software is oriented toward learning the subject of mathematics. Students could get creative by making various animations as illustrated in the following videos. Students would face several challenges using animated drawings. They have to know the features and the tools of geogebra. They need help on how to integrate these features together to create the desired animation Therefore display it in Geogebra Tube.
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Excellent review of this application. I particularly appreciated how you explained the undo command in step one :-)
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