Date of Award
12-2004
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Mathematics
Abstract
This study documents two teachers' instructional practices as they learn and incorporate Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) activities into their curriculum. The researcher (as a mentor) worked closely with two high school geometry teachers following a case study methodology. As a secondary goal, this study examined the use of a mentor as a professional development model to assist classroom teachers in the learning and implementation of Geometer'sSketchpad. Data were gathered through interviews, surveys, observations, classroom videotape, participant journal entries, as well as researcher field notes.
Results are reported in the areas of goals of instruction, method of instruction, role of the teacher, role of the student, and the role and source of curricular materials. Among the major findings include the close association between teachers' beliefs and teaching with GSP. For one teacher, teaching involved telling and GSP was used to reinforce the direct teaching done in the classroom. For the other teacher, teaching was for student understanding and GSP was used for student exploration and discovery.
The use of a mentor as a professional development model served the purpose of providing an apprenticeship model of GSP instruction. Recommendations for future work include following a cycle of mentor planning and teaching while the classroom teacher engages in formative assessment of student work and reflective activity prior to assuming the duties of planning and teaching with GSP.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Shafer, Kathryn G., "Two High School Teachers’ Initial Use of Geometers Sketchpad: Issues of Implementation" (2004). Dissertations. 1139.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1139