Using Online Applets to Improve Students’ Mathematical Reasoning
Abstract: This study examined the effects of using Online Math Applets (OMAs) on middle school students’ solutions of the mathematical problems requiring different levels of mathematical reasoning. Through using the Smith and Stein (1998)’s framework for categorizing tasks, the problems are identified as memorization, procedures without connections, and procedures with connections. Participants were forty-two eight-grade students, randomly assigned into groups, studied quadratic equations and their graphs throughout the online-applets based versus traditional lecture. The pre-and posttest assessing students’ performance on the three types of questions mentioned above were administered. The findings indicated that students using OMAs considerably improved their solutions on the “procedures with connections” type of problems requiring higher-level of cognitive efforts.