A geometry experience with ChatGPT and GeoGebra: an analysis of computational thinking in higher education

Abstract

This study explores new ways to integrate technology into the teaching of geometry. It analyzes how undergraduate distance-education students interacted with ChatGPT and GeoGebra to construct a regular pentagon by simulating the use of a ruler and compass. The task aimed to promote computational thinking (CT) skills through the design and debugging of algorithms supported by generative artificial intelligence. The results show that these skills became most evident when students interpreted, adjusted, and refined initial instructions that did not always lead to the desired construction. Based on these findings, the task was redesigned to include a gradual sequence for constructing regular polygons and to incorporate Socratic prompts that guide dialogical interaction with the AI. This experience highlights the importance of designing mathematical tasks that integrate digital tools and address the challenges that emerge from the educational use of generative artificial intelligence.