EJMT Abstract

The value of dynamic geometry software in mathematics education has been widely recognized for several decades. However, the exam-oriented approach to education takes precedence in Mainland China. Therefore, most of the mathematics teachers in Chinese secondary schools are faced with a heavy burden of work, and have little time to study dynamic geometry software, which does not have an immediately noticeable improvement in students’ exam performance.

The author of this paper has been engaged in designing and developing mathematics education software and resources for more than 10 years, and has served as a director and advisor for the in-service mathematics teachers on dynamic geometry software for six years. According to his experience, he gives a description of the current state of the Information Technology (IT) based mathematics education in China. Then he presents his viewpoints on why dynamic geometry software was not widely used.

Details on SuperSketchPad (SSP), a dynamic mathematics software package designed and developed for Chinese mathematics education, and its use in China will be introduced in this paper. Based on the findings of the experimental research on using SuperSketchpad in mathematics education, the author concludes that designing and developing the mathematics education software for a region should take the various needs of the teachers in that region into serious consideration.