Mathematics teacher development and technology: towards an International GeoGebra Institute

Research indicates that despite the numerous benefits of using technology in mathematics education, the process of embedding technology in classrooms is slow and complex. Most teachers need more than just being provided with technology if the benefits of technology are to be substantially realized. It has been suggested that adequate training and collegial support boost teachers' willingness to integrate technology into their teaching and to develop successful technology-assisted teaching practices. GeoGebra is free open-source dynamic software for mathematics teaching and learning that offers geometry and algebra features in a fully connected software environment. Its pool of free interactive materials and user forum are examples of online collaboration of a world-wide community of mathematics educators. In this poster presentation, we will outline the emergence of the software GeoGebra and its recent developments as well as the first steps towards (using present tense to show that work has already been done) International GeoGebra Institute to be able to offer structured training and support for teachers who are ready to integrate GeoGebra into their classrooms. In addition, we will organize and coordinate research projects in relation to GeoGebra to enhance the development of training and support materials. While our initial plan is to establish an IGI site at Florida Atlantic University (USA), in the long run our goal is to collaborate with colleagues and set up other institutes in various locations around the world.