Effect of an open-source software and artificial intelligence strategy on university algebra performance: A quasi-experimental study.

Abstract

The effect of a teaching strategy based on open-source software (GeoGebra and Octave) and AI tools (ChatGPT and Wolfram Alpha) on university students’ academic performance in algebra was evaluated. It was hypothesized that this strategy would produce significantly higher performance than traditional instruction. A quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent groups and a pretest-posttest format was implemented over 16 weeks with 105 students (experimental group: n=55; control group: n=50). The experimental group achieved a gain of 27.61 points, compared with 14.66 points in the control group, with a significant difference (t(103)=6.66, p< 0.001; d=1.30) and confirmatory ANCOVA results (partial η²=0.303). The planned integration of open digital resources and generative assistants substantially improved learning in university-level algebra.