A comparative study of the effects of using dynamic geometry software and physical manipulatives on the spatial visualisation skills of pre‐service mathematics teachers

Abstract The study compared the effects of dynamic geometry software and physical manipulatives on the spatial visualisation skills of first‐year pre‐service mathematics teachers. A pre‐ and post‐test quasi‐experimental design was used. The Purdue Spatial Visualisation Test (PSVT) was used for the pre‐ and post‐test. There were three treatment groups. The first group ( n = 34) used Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) Cabri 3D as a virtual manipulative and the second group ( n = 32) used physical manipulatives. In the control group ( n = 30), the students received traditional instruction. The results of the study showed that physical manipulatives and DGS‐based types of instruction are more effective in developing the students' spatial visualisation skills than traditional instruction. In addition, students in the DGS‐based group performed better than the physical manipulative‐based group in the views section of the PSVT.