USING GEOGEBRA TO TEACH GEOMETRIC TRANSFORMATIONS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS

Abstract

Geometric transformations — including translation, rotation, reflection, and dilation — constitute a foundational strand of secondary school mathematics that bridges visual intuition with formal algebraic reasoning. Despite their conceptual importance, students frequently struggle with abstract representations of transformations when instruction relies exclusively on static diagrams and procedural rules. This study investigates the effectiveness of GeoGebra, a dynamic mathematics software platform, as a pedagogical tool for teaching geometric transformations to 9th-grade students in Uzbekistan. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with a sample of 68 students divided into control and experimental groups, the research measures the impact of GeoGebra-integrated lessons on students' conceptual understanding, procedural accuracy, and spatial reasoning skills. The experimental group participated in a six-week instructional unit in which GeoGebra was used to dynamically visualize and manipulate transformations, while the control group received traditional chalk-and-board instruction. Results indicate that students in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts on all three outcome measures, with the largest effect sizes observed for spatial reasoning and conceptual understanding. The study also documents positive shifts in student attitudes toward mathematics. These findings suggest that GeoGebra-based instruction offers a powerful complement to traditional approaches in teaching geometric transformations, with implications for curriculum design and teacher professional development in secondary mathematics education across Uzbekistan and similar educational contexts