Análise de uma sequência didática para o ensino de funções polinomiais do 1º e 2º graus instrumentalizada por uma ferramenta computacional : possibilidades e dificuldades

Abstract

In this research, a didactic sequence is analyzed in order to develop techniques for the teaching of functions of 1st and 2nd degrees, mediated by the use of the software Winplot. This study is based on the difficulties presented by the students as they were studying this subject, on its importance for a citizen's formation and in its relevance for the future studies during Higher Education course and, also, in the usage possibilities of a software as important resource to aid teachers and students in the teaching and learning process. The theoretical support was directed by some conceptions related to the Didacticism of the Mathematics (Theory of the Didactic Situations, Didactic Transposition and Transposition Computer Science), which is inserted interferes as one of the tendencies that compose the great area of Mathematical Education. The research was developed according to the methodological conceptions of the Didactic Engineering. The research field was State Public School and the subjects; initially, thirty six students that accomplished the test. Because of the limitations of the computer science laboratory, fifteen were selected and only nine took part on the development of the didactic sequence, all students of the 1st year in secondary Teaching. Level Initially, a diagnostic was applied, composed by seven subjects related to the construction and graphic interpretation, to check the previous knowledge and the inherent difficulties about function concepts. From the results, the didactic sequence was elaborated to be developed by the usage of the Winplot program. This new sequence was constituted of seven subjects produced from the subsidies presented in the test. The result of the test showed for difficulties related to the draw of points in the Cartesian plan and on the axes, to problems in recognizing the graphic reading as an important element to find solutions of problems and, also, the difficulties in the graphic construction. From these difficulties, we settled down the didactic sequence to be developed with the support of the software Winplot and their results evidenced clear benefits to the students in the construction, reading and graphic interpretation.