Application of GeoGebra in the Teaching of Descriptive Geometry: Sections of Solids

Abstract

Technologies came to revolutionize the teaching of technical design; they brought resources that enabled 3D and 2D graphic simulation. The objective of this research is to understand how the implementation of the dynamic software GeoGebra on the topic of cylindrical sections can improve 3D spatial visualization in students because of the challenges in understanding the 3D representations and transporting them to the 2D sheet. This is a quasi-experimental case study in a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach which was conducted in a grade 12 class on the subject of descriptive geometry. The instruments used were a pre-test, post-test and Santa Barbara Solids Test. The students of the experimental group used GeoGebra and obtained better results in the post-test than the students in the control group, which suggests an improvement in learning; however, the Santa Barbara Solids Test results showed that the difficulties in visualizing views of the projected solids in a two-dimensional plane persisted. This study is also intended to test software in a classroom with students who have never experienced a 3D technology in their educational practices and direct future research in the complex content of descriptive geometry with the help of software.