The effects of computer graphics and mira on aquisition of transformation geometry concepts and development of mental rotation skills in grade eight

Graduation date: 1991The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) whether the use of the Motions computer program will be more effective in the acquisition of transformation geometry concepts in eighth-grade students than the use of the Mira hands-on manipulative, (2) whether the use of the Motions computer program will be more effective in the development of mental\ud rotation skills in eighth-grade students than the use of the Mira hands-on\ud manipulative, and (3) possible sex differences resulting from the use of the\ud Motions computer program or the use of the Mira, hands-on manipulative in the acquisition of transformation geometry concepts by eighth-grade students. The study included 15 teachers at 15 different junior high schools teaching 560 students. The study sample consisted of 16 classes, eight\ud classes in each of the two experimental groups. There were 14 classes in the testing effect control group. Eight teachers each taught a Motions class and a Mira class. The remaining seven teachers taught two control classes each. The subjects were pretested and posttested with The Card Rotations Test from the Kit of Factor-Referenced Tests and the researcher-designed Transformation Geometry Achievement Test. The subjects were also administered the researcher-designed Computer Experience Questionnaire. During the period of time between the pretests and the posttests, the experimental group subjects studied a three-week series of\ud lessons on transformation geometry concepts. To check for a possible mental rotation testing effect, the control group subjects studied a three-week unit on fractions and decimals. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance. With regard to mathematics achievement of transformation geometry concepts, the analysis revealed no significant difference between the class means: (1) of the Mira and the Motions groups, (2) of the females in the Mira and the Motions groups, and (3) of the females in either the Mira, or Motions groups and of the males in either the Mira or Motions groups. A significant difference, at the 0.05 level, was found between the mean of the males in the Mira and the Motions groups.\ud With regard to mental rotation ability, the analysis revealed no significant difference between the class means: (1) of the Mira and the Motions groups, (2) of the males in the Mira and the Motions groups, and (3) of the females in the Mira, and of the Motions groups