Gnuplot on web (GOW): uma aplicação para uso das funcionalidades do gnuplot em fóruns de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem

Abstract

The use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) in Distance Education courses provides different communication resources for discussion between students and teachers, and web forums are a very important tool in this process. It is observed in the distance degree courses in Mathematics and Physics taught by the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) that there is intense use of such web forums, with the use of mathematical symbolic language and graphic analysis in these environments being a still problematic process. To partially solve this problem, a tool called MathPost was implemented, which allows the writing and visualization of mathematical expressions. However, there would still be the problem of generating and viewing graphics to be solved. It is in this scenario that the present work is developed, where the Gnuplot on Web (GOW) tool was created, which allows the use of Gnuplot software within the CKEditor web text editor, which can be used in forums of Virtual Learning Environments. The preliminary tests carried out on this application made it possible to guarantee its operation both in expected situations and in the case of exceptions.