Students’ conceptions through the lens of a dynamic online geometry assessment platform

Despite the widespread use of dynamic geometry environments (DGEs) in mathematics classrooms, and despite the emergence of online assessment systems, DGEs still play only a minor role in assessment practices. In this paper, we examined the potential benefits and feasibility of using information gleaned from students' interactions with geometry interactive diagrams (GIDs) through the lens of an online assessment platform. We introduced two assessment design patterns: the first was designed to assess the comprehension of terms and concepts; the second, to assess comprehension of the logical status of statements. We present data collected from 63 middle school students who performed several tasks based on these design patterns. We demonstrate how GIDs in both design patterns were used to assess and categorize conceptions, problem solving approaches, and tendencies that can act as a barrier to geometry proving. Its automatic analysis was beneficial and revealed some of these categories. We envision that embedding GIDs in an online assessment platform promotes the use of DGEs in the classroom and in assessment procedures.