Students' Achievement in Trigonometry Teaching Through Geogebra

Abstract

The topic of this study is “Students’ Achievement in Trigonometry Teaching through GeoGebra”. The purpose of this research was to find out the effect of use of Geogebra in teaching trigonometry at grade IX. In this study, pre- test post- test non- equivalent control group design of research was used which is one of the quasi- experimental research design. Connectivism has been accepted as the theoretical foundation of this research. All the students of grade IX of Ramechhap district were taken purposively as population of study. This study was conducted on two groups of students: control group and experimental group. By random sampling method the students of section „A‟ who studies optional mathematics were selected for control group and the students of section „B‟ who studies optional mathematics selected for experimental group. A total of 50 students were participated in the study in which control and experimental group consists 22 and 28 students respectively. Control group was facilitated by traditional method of instruction but experimental group was treated by GeoGebra software up to two weeks. Mathematics achievement test (MAT) and interview schedule were used to collect data. A pilot test was conducted in a group of students of Gokulganga Secondary School, Ramechhap for reliability coefficient, difficulty level and discrimination index of items. To ensure the validity of items, tool was developed being based on specification grid of optional mathematics of grade IX which was developed by CDC Nepal and with the help of supervisor. But for the reliability of items on interview schedule, students were asked the same questions repeatedly and for validation supervisor helped me. A pre- test was conducted on both groups before teaching. After quantitative analysis of pre- test, I taught both the groups up to two weeks. Moreover, control group was taught by traditional method of instruction while experimental group was facilitated by x

GeoGebra software being based on connectivism approach. After treatment a post- test was administered on the same both groups using the same set of items used in pre- test. After quantitative analysis of the result of post- test an interview schedule was used on a group of five students of experiment group to know their perception towards the use of GeoGebra in teaching trigonometry. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics both. Specially, t- test was used to test for the statistical significance difference between the control and experimental group using MS Excel 2013. The data obtained from interview schedule was analyzed by descriptive method. The result of post- test showed that the average achievement of experimental group which was facilitated through GeoGebra software was better than that of control group which was taught by traditional method of instruction. Thus, analysis of this result indicated that GeoGebra was an effective software in teaching trigonometry. Also the analysis of interview result indicated that most of the students gave the positive responses towards the use of Geo Gebra software. Students of experimental group took the part in teaching learning activities actively. Also, they took Geo Gebra as an essential software in learning other parts of optional mathematics.