Interpreting High School Students' Studies in Dynamic Geometry Environments in the Context of Geometric Working Spaces

Abstract

This study aimed to interpret the answers of 11^th grade students to geometric questions presented in a learning environment enriched with dynamic geometry software, according to the theoretical framework of Geometric Working Spaces by Kuzinak et al. (2016). During the research process, the action research method served as the basis. In this direction, eight tasks designed by two researchers were first applied to the students by the teacher-researcher. The data related to the implementation process were reflected in the form of field notes and students' studies in the tasks. After the implementation, clinical interviews were conducted by asking three different geometry questions to six students in a learning environment with dynamic geometry software. At the end of the study, it was found that the students' geometric studies were generally concentrated in the Sem-Ins and Sem-Dis planes. This was interpreted as students working in Geometry I and Geometry II paradigms. In addition, as a result of the teacher-researcher's observations throughout the study, it was revealed that while some students' geometric studies initially reflected the Geometry I paradigm, they developed answers for more than one plane in subsequent tasks. This shows that students' geometric understanding can improve as they work on tasks in dynamic geometry environments.