Geometer's Sketchpad

What is it?



The tool I chose is Geometer's Sketchpad. It is a software program for use on the computer that can be dispayed with a projector or SmartBoard.





How can I use it?

The program can be used to draw points, lines, shapes, graphs, patterns and much more to depict mathematics problems for students. Geometer's Sketchpad lets teachers illustraste geometry problems and geometric examples to let students see the relationships formed between points, lines, shapes, graphs and much more.


Advantages and Disadvantages



The advantages for this program include:

• This tool is a great illustrative tool that lets students see what is going on in the problem. A lot of times, students struggle with math because they cannot picture what is supposed to be going on. This program helps solve that problem!


• With the tool, teachers can also take a step by step approach to showing a problem, or they can create the picture before class begins, save it and simply pull it up for the students to see.


• The program is very easy to use and navigate once the initial use has taken place. At first glance, the program looks difficult and complicated, but it is just because it has so many uses and options. However, it is easy to pick up on how to work through the program, and with each use, the program gets easier and easier to use.
  

The disadvantages for this program include:

• While the program is easy to use, even when the user is very proficient, it can be very time consuming. It a teacher decides to do a problem by illustrating it step by step, it will take the entire class period to get through it.


• COST. If a school does not have the program and a teacher wants to use it, the cost, resting solely on that teacher, is very expensive.
  
• Not many middle and high schools have the software available.

Audience

The audience for Geometer's Sketchpad is both teachers and students. My college geometry professor uses it almost nightly in our class, and I have used it many times for homework and projects. The software would be similarly helpful in a middle and high school setting.

Want more information?

The Geometer's Sketchpad website has lots of useful information about this and many other programs.

These reviews show what others think about the software.

With so many options, Geometer's Sketchpad has many lesson plan and activity opportunities as well.

My opinion?

In my opinion, this tool is very useful. I was able to purchase it at a student rate, so it wasn't too expensive for me to get on my computer. I really like it for during class when it is hard to mentally picture a problem, and my professor is able to illustrate it with the program. I think students will find it fun and useful. I also think any type of interactive program gains and keeps students' attention better than any other type of instruction, so I think they would really enjoy using this program.