GeoGebra Pop-Up Notifications as Scaffolds for Computational Thinking in Mathematics Lessons

Computational thinking (CT) is important and a relevant skill in solving problems in the digital era. Researchers and policymakers have attempted to realize it in school curricula by integrating it into mathematics lessons or other relevant disciplines. The integration into mathematics lessons has shown positive benefits for students. However, the use of digital mathematics tools remains underexplored in this context. Therefore, researching the use of mathematics software to support CT while learning mathematics is necessary. This study addresses this gap by developing mathematics and CT (Math+CT) lessons using an educational design research (EDR) approach, with a particular focus on the use of GeoGebra in supporting students’ CT skills. A total of 85 grade 9 high school students in the Philippines participated in the study. Data were collected from students’ GeoGebra Classroom files and screen recordings, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that while 40 out of 85 students successfully completed the final task, many demonstrated expert-like strategies in their use of GeoGebra commands. Additionally, GeoGebra’s automated feedback (i.e., pop-up notifications) played a dual role: it supported students in finding and correcting errors, but in some cases, it steered them towards specific strategies or hindered task completion. These findings suggest both the potential and the limitations of automated tool support in fostering CT within mathematics lessons. Further studies are needed to investigate the influence of language on the pop-up notification, cognitive overload, automated feedback, and the duration of the intervention on students’ learning outcomes.