A análise da compreensão do conceito de funções mediado por ambientes computacionais

Abstract

Some algebraic concepts are extremely important. Among them, it is the Function concept, for allowing connections among diverse mathematical concepts and also among different mathematical thoughts. Moreover, Function plays an important role on Mathematics in High School and on other core courses at undergraduate level. Nevertheless, some researches on Mathematics show that the study of this concept is complex and difficult for students. These facts make it relevant to look into this concept with the students. This study proposes an analysis of the understanding of the Function concept by means of computational environments. The study has been done on quantitative and qualitative methodologies and it took place at a State School of Fortaleza with 13 students from the first year of High School. The theory was based on Vygotsky (1998, 2001), who deals with the ideas of mediation and interaction; Ausubel (AUSUBEL, NOVAK e HANESIAN, 1980), Vergnaud (1993), Skemp (1989) e Vinner (1992), who all discuss the process of concept formation; Gimenez and Lins (1997), who approaches the production and negotiation of meanings. The results show that the use of computational environments mediated by the teacher was a powerful tool to increase the learning of students and to detect the main obstacles to concept construction.