The Use of Dynamic Geometry Software on Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers Geometry Achievement and their Opinion about Properties of Software

Researchers and education stakeholders in South Africa point the need to improve on pre-service teachers’ knowledge of mathematics concepts that they teach to their learners in this 21st century. Preparation of pre-service mathematics teachers to use technology is a critical issue facing teacher education programmes. In this research, the researcher explored how dynamic geometry software, influenced pre-service teachers’ achievement in Euclidean geometry. This study also elicited participants’ opinion of the most important properties of three different software used in this research. Data were generated from the written responses of 130 participants to an assessment as well as short questionnaire to find out most important properties a dynamic geometry software must have in accordance with participants’ opinion. The result showed that pre-service mathematics teachers taught Euclidean geometry using Geometer Sketchpad and GeoGebra software had greater improvement than their counterpart taught same content using Cabri 2 plus software. This result show that the PMTs users of Geometer Sketchpad and GeoGebra software developed a robust understanding of Euclidean Geometry concept that they will be required to teach in future. Findings from the qualitative data provided evidence that GeoGebra, Geometer Sketchpad and Cabri 2 plus software possess the necessary properties required to supplement for effective teaching and learning of Euclidean geometry. The study recommends that pre-service teachers should be provided with more structured technology-oriented opportunities to help develop and improve on their knowledge of basic mathematics concepts that is in line with the 21st century skill.