An investigation of middle school students' ability to make connections on polygons through the GeoGebra-supported ACODESA method

The purpose of this study is to examine secondary school students' connections in a technology-supported collaborative learning environment. This study was structured using the teaching experiment method, and its participants consisted of six secondary school students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through activity sheets, screen and audio recordings taken during the implementation process, GeoGebra files, and in-class audio and video recordings. The implementation process lasted eight weeks in total, consisting of four weeks of exploratory teaching and four weeks of instructional phases. The exploratory teaching process included activities aimed at helping students learn how to use GeoGebra while working collaboratively in pairs on computers. The instructional phase involved the implementation of five expert-reviewed activities within a learning environment designed according to the ACODESA method, supported by GeoGebra. The data obtained were analyzed using thematic analysis, and students' connections were examined under the following categories: procedural connections, inferential connections, instructional connections, metaphorical connections, part–whole connections, feature connections, connections between different representations, and meaning connections. The findings show that in a technology-supported collaborative learning environment, students were able to construct all these types of connections regarding polygons, with some types being more prominent than others. The dynamic and exploratory learning environment provided by GeoGebra enabled students to collaborate effectively, creating a space for them to share their ideas, explanations, operations, and solutions, which supported their connection-making processes. Additionally, it was observed that the less frequently constructed types of connections often emerged during the class discussion stage. The teacher's guidance during this stage—encouraging students to propose alternative solutions without obstructing their independent thinking—played a significant role in the emergence of diverse types of connections. In conclusion, it is recommended that technology-supported collaborative learning environments be developed to support students' ability to construct various types of intra-mathematical connections.