Abstract:

The education process is transforming rapidly owing to the widespread availability of computer platforms to produce and distribute digital content. Mixing teaching aids is now one of the most popular methods used to improve the effectiveness of the teaching process. An area which is especially dedicated to the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the teaching process is mathematics. ICT can help science students and teachers to perform calculations, explore mathematical objects, and interactive visual mathematical concepts. The integration of ICT into teaching practices can increase the level of mathematical understanding at all stages of the educational process.

The aim of this paper is to present a particular hybrid teaching system, that integrates several software tools for supporting teachers and students in teaching and learning mathematics. The presented solution uses the OpenOlat learning platform and the GeoGebra dynamic mathematics system to build a complete, interactive teaching and assessment tool for high school students. This solution is implemented as one of the courses placed on the educational, commercial platform EduPlatforma.pl.

The project EduPlatforma.pl was created in Poland to build and enhance the development of e-services supporting education. The project aims to support modern and innovative education, that uses all available methods and tools, and promotes the use of the Internet and multimedia. EduPlatforma.pl offers over 680 learning-ready modules which cover a wide range of topics, e.g.: Polish, English, German, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography and history.

The system is designed to illustrate mathematical ideas with interactive examples, which can be parametrized through on-line widgets. In addition to theoretical content, each module includes tests and tasks which allow self-evaluation. Exercises are prepared especially to improve the students skills in logical and abstract thinking by exploring the potential of the GeoGebra tools. The integration of modern interactive software tools leads to a more diverse and complete education and is more attractive for students than traditional learning. Moreover, using prepared and pre-configured software tools allow students to quickly discover in a visual way the power of mathematical tools, which may also support their development in different areas. Evaluation of learning progress is automatic and encourages the participant to thoroughly understand the content before the completion of each stage. All results are stored in a dedicated database, which allows the teacher to perform a detailed analysis of student activity.

The implications of the results are discussed and avenues for future research are suggested. These findings encourage the use of open source as well as GeoGebra learning solutions that support student requirements for more dynamic and interactive study of math.

Keywords:

Mathematics teaching, dynamic mathematics software, Open Source Software, e-learning, geogebra.