Functionality of Geogebra in the field of interactive fairy tales creating

Abstract

Modern interactive teaching at preschool teacher training colleges, in accordance with the rapid and progressive changes in the world of information and communication technologies, implies the application and use of series of programme packages enriching and facilitating not only the education of future preschool teachers, but also the practical work with children of preschool age. The goal of the research conducted on the sample consisting from the students of the Preschool Teacher Training College in Kruševac, as the part of teaching the Methodology of initial mathematical notions and the Methodology of speech development, was to test the functionality of the educational software GeoGebra in the domain of interactive fairy tales creation. Several variables have been tested with regard to functionality, among them: Applicability of Geogebra programme of in mathematical and didactical games of preschool children; Suitability of Geogebra for the interactive fairy tales creation; Possibility of use of mathematical and didactical games in correlation with the speech development games; Possibility of including games from Geogebra programme in educational work; Quality of mathematical and didactical games in Geogebra programme. The methodological plan implied having 2 groups of testees which practiced Geogebra. In group 1, an experimental factora was introduced - the increased number of weeks practicing Geogebra (6 weeks of practicing in comparison with 4 weeks of practicing in the 2nd group of students). After the practicing period, using Questionnaire (construed for the research needs), as well as five-degree Likert-type assessment scales, the testing was conducted with regard to the opionion of students in both groups on the functionality of the Geogebra programme package concerning the interactive fairy talses creation. The research results have shown there is a positive effect of practicing Geogebra to the interactive fairy tales creation (the students from the group in which the expiremental factor had been introduced assessed more positively The applicability of Geogebra programme than the students from the control group which practiced Geogebra for fewer hours). Similar results have been obtained in the domain of Usability of mathematical and didactical games from the Geogebra programme, where the students from the experimental group achived substantially higher scores on the functionality scale.