Assessing the impact of FullProof on college geometry students’ confidence and perceptions of proof writing

Abstract

Proof writing is a core practice of mathematicians and a crucial skill every mathematics major and future secondary mathematics teacher needs to acquire. A proof-based geometry course is a fruitful ground for developing proof-writing skills. Despite recent pedagogical and technological advances, proof remains challenging to learn and teach. An innovative, AI-based digital platform, FullProof, was explicitly designed to advance students’ proof-writing skills in Euclidean Geometry. We integrated FullProof in college geometry courses at three universities for three years, and conducted a mixed-methods research study to understand potential impacts of the technology-incorporated courses on undergraduate students’ perceived competence and confidence in writing geometry proofs. We report on the findings about students’ interactions with FullProof, their thoughts on using the tool, and their general perceptions on whether there was an improvement in their comfort level with proofs, engagement with proofs, proof understanding, and beliefs about proofs.