The effect of cabri-based instruction on the level of reasoning in proofs produced by grade eight students

النوع : Mémoire

The presented study focused on 1) the effect of using the dynamic software, Cabri, on the performance of grade eight Lebanese students, and 2) the effect of using the dynamic software, Cabri, on the reasoning level in proofs produced by grade eight Lebanese students. The study was conducted in a Lebanese private school where two grade eight sections which included the same percent of high, average, and low achievers learned three geometric units: the parallelogram, the isosceles trapezoid, and the midpoint theorem. It was conducted during three months. Both the experimental and the control groups investigated the properties of the parallelogram and the isosceles trapezoid, and established the proof of the midpoint theorem, then developed proofs using these properties and the theorem. The experimental group performed geometry tasks in Cabri environment while the control group performed the same tasks in Cabri- free environment. The Structure of Learned Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy was used to analyze the performance and reasoning levels involved in the proofs produce by the students in the posttest. The students' posttest scores were transformed into SOLO scores and SOLO levels. The t test for independent samples, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and cross tabulations on the SOLO scores and SOLO levels indicated that 1) there was a significant difference between the control and experimental group on the SOLO scores and this difference was in favor of the experimental group. This difference reflected itself in the performance of the low achievers but not the high and average students, 2) the percentage of students of the experimental group at the first SOLO level -pre-structural level was less than the percentage of students of the control group while the percentage of the experimental group students at the second SOLO level multi- structural level was higher than the percentage of the students in the control group, and 3) there was no interaction between the SOLO scores of the experimental and control groups with the three achievement levels. The findings were interpreted theoretically and recommendations for further research and practice were given.