[Home] [Technology]                                   Dynamic Geometer's Sketchpad

Brief Introduction
          Geoemter's Sketchpad is a dynamic geometrical software, letting teachers use computers to demonstrate and visualize mathematics concepts to students. Usually, in traditional teaching about geometry, students will use paper and  pencil to learn and teacher will use chalk and blackboard to teach geometry. Because of its dynamic exploration property, Sketchpad can be used to explore mathematics subjects such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, even science.  Especially, it allows for dynamic explorations in geometry so that students can see the changes in the figures when they manipulate them. When Using GSP software with computers like an electronic blackboard, students can instantly and dynamically draw points, angles or lines,  experience the dynamic change of geometrical concepts, and construct the mathematical understanding form their exploring without wasting to redraw figures to calculate and compare them.

What is Dynamic Geometry?A research project, funded by NSF

Examples of using GSP in mathematics

Examples from Internet Teachers' Resources for knowing more about GSP Java Sketchpad
            Java Sketchpad is a software/language that lets teachers and students can manipulate and interact instantly via internet without GSP software. Teachers can use Java Sketchpad to demonstrate  geometrical concepts and works published to Internet for students without special software except browsers (like IE 5.0, Netscape 4.0 later). Teachers can integrate this kind of examples for students into their mathematics curriculum in order to provide students' more hand on experience and activities to experience mathematical concepts in person. See the site of Java Sketchpad for more details.
  Java Applets:
        Java Applet is a kind of computer language that can let users design dynamic figures. It is like the function of Java sketchpad. Hence, Teachers can find some useful applet files in some web sites from Internet. It does not matter that teachers are not able to use this computer language. They can find them and then integrate them into their instruction and curriculum, providing students to have more opportunities to learn, more hand-on experiences to  manipulate to view the dynamic mathematical concepts in order to enhance their understanding. Please see the following examples. Teachers can find more and more examples in web sites through Internet and search engines as their their material and curriculum.

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