The role of dynamic geometry software and the route of teacher–student interactions

The role of technologies used in teaching mathematics, especially Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS), can have a great impact on the routes of interactions between teacher and students. This study focused on lessons in a middle school in Turkey that included tasks designed with Cabri 3D. In the lessons where DGS was in the role of an amplifier, the teacher–student interactions tended to follow a more direct route, while in the lessons where it was in the role of a reorganizer, it followed a more complex route. This showed that the role of DGS differentiated the interaction routes in the classroom. Additionally, either only mathematics or only technology was the main focus in the questions, answers and feedback in the lessons where DGS was an amplifier. In the lessons where DGS was a reorganizer, the interaction routes supported students’ mathematical reasoning, the verification of their assumptions, and their mathematical autonomy.