Publication Date

1988

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wheeler, Margariete Montague||Harel, Guershon, 1952-

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Mathematical Sciences

LCSH

Geometry--Computer-assisted instruction; Coordinates--Study and teaching (Secondary); Geometry--Study and teaching (Secondary); Coordinates--Computer-assisted instruction

Abstract

In today’s rapidly changing world, computers are a popular means of transmitting information to students. Since this is so, the microworld Super Point was developed to teach coordinate geometry to tenth-grade and older students including pre-service elementary school teachers. This microworld enables the learner to plot points, draw lines, line segments, rays and circles. In the section on points, the student learns about the four quadrants. In the line section, the student is introduced to parallel and perpendicular lines. Within the line segment section, the learner explores the concepts of midpoint and length of a line segment. The joining of two rays is shown to form a line in the section on rays. Concentric circles are taught within the circle section. The students are given an opportunity to create procedures of their own. These procedures are to identify which quadrant an inputted point lies in, to determine the slope of a given line, or to graph a line using a different equation than the microworld’s line command uses. It was found that students had a favorable attitude towards using the microworld and working on a computer. During subsequent evaluation, it appeared that the concepts taught within the Super Point microworld were acquired by the students.

Comments

Bibliography: pages [135]-140.

Extent

140 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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