Formative assessment and feedback - A conceptual approach to Coordinate Geometry using GeoGebra (Online 7-12)

Want more of your students to genuinely understand the mathematics you teach? Tired of students switching off as soon as you present mathematics to them that is slightly abstract? Would you like to be guided through a conceptually-based, somewhat student-centred approach to one topic (Coordinate Geometry) which has proven to be successful in raising the understanding in and enjoyment by students and which is directly translatable to most topics? What if you knew this approach is designed to save you some time-per-topic? 

The course:

  • Is an 8-week, online, guided learning journey
  • Is a comprehensive walk-through of an engaging, conceptually-based approach to mathematics
  • Contains a detailed coordinate geometry unit of work.  
  • provides numerous opportunities for formative assessment and feedback to students as they work through the comprehensive unit.

The approach:

  • is explained through the comprehensive, conceptually-based Coordinate Geometry unit provided.
  • lends itself to the use of GeoGebra. However, similar dynamic geometry software or indeed, no such software, may be employed because it is the pedagogy behind the unit which is more important.

The effect on maths students:

  • During the first few lessons, students learn to perform the following skills (listed below) by using their own thinking processes, a far more empowering experience compared to relying on learned procedures.

Three examples of the above skills are:

  • reading gradients directly off straight lines
  • reading equations directly from graphs

  • sketching straight lines directly from reading equations.

All high school mathematics students typically achieve far greater success and confidence with this conceptual, inquiry-based approach. By the end of the unit, students derive and employ traditional formulas.

Course delivery: This is a 8-week, self-paced, online, eLearning course.

Time: There are four occurrences per year. The December occurrence enables the course to be completed during the holidays, finishing mid Term 1.

Audience: All secondary mathematics educators Y7-12.

Cost (ex GST) per person: A sliding scale based on participant numbers. $320 (1 participant); $280 (2-10 participants); $240 (10+ participants).