Geometers Sketch Pad

When I was first introduced to this software I was not convinced that I was going to love it. It looked like all you did was draw shapes on the program called paint. After using it for one semester, in a course provided at my home university, I was convinced that this was a very useful program to have available in the classroom.

Geometers Sketch Pad is a software program designed to help students understand geometry. It is interactive software that allows you to experiment with different shapes and formulas. It also teaches you the proper geometrical terms. For example, when I was using this software we were given a list of angles that we had to create using the program. The program then taught us the different angle names and measurements. Once we had created these angles we could experiment with them to help us fully understand the concept of them. We could move and drag them however we please. It showed us what would happen to the angle measures if we moved them up or down and side to side.

This program is very user friendly, so both teachers and pupils can use it. When the teacher is introducing a new concept to the class they can use this program to help students understand. It is very visual software so it is useful for those students who learn visually. The teacher can make shapes and move them around on the board without having to waste time by drawing them. The software can also create angles and give precise measurements. This is something that can not be accomplished with just a regular whiteboard.

This program is a great learning tool for students because it can be fun as well as educational. Students are not becoming more interested in technology so it is beneficial to have programs in the classroom that will keep the students interested. When using this program students can animate the shapes by putting in the correct measurements and formulas. The teachers and pupils only need basic computer knowledge to make this program work. The program takes you step by step through how to make geometric shapes and angles.

When using this program it is important to remember that the pupils need a basic knowledge of geometry in order to gain the most from this program. This website, http://dynamicgeometry.com/, is a great website for teachers that show them what this program is and how it can be used in the classroom. It also offers you a demo version, so the teachers can try it out frist.



Katlyn Jarvis