An investigation of the use of mobile technologies in the teaching and learning of congruence in mathematics.

Abstract

The study explored the feasibility of using mobile technology in teaching and learning the congruence of triangles, with a particular focus on conceptual understanding. A mixed-method case study methodology was used, in which 25 grade 9 learners who were purposefully selected from a school in Durban took part. Two questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were administered. The validity and reliability of both questionnaires were assessed and confirmed. The triangulation of the results from the first questionnaire, the second questionnaire, and the semi-structured interviews revealed that learners were willing to use mobile technology in learning mathematics. The results also showed that it was practical to use curriculum-tailored GeoGebra applets on mobile devices to learn the congruence of triangles. The study could directly benefit the grade 9 educators and learners in South Africa. Educators can use the applets and the worksheet designed in this study when teaching the congruence of triangles. The study responds to the call made in the Action plan to 2024, to align technology integration to the improvement of learning outcomes. To the board of knowledge of social sciences, the research contributes a modified FRAME or model that emerged in this study, which I named the FRAME_applet model; that emphasizes the use of curriculum tailored applets on mobile devices in teaching and learning, to enhance conceptual understanding. This study is relevant in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the time for face-to-face learning and teaching has been reduced. Learners can self-learn new content through the use of curriculum-tailored GeoGebra applets.