As quatro operações básicas: uma compreensão dos procedimentos algorítmicos

The current research had as main objective to analyze the possibility of knowledge elaboration/re-elaboration about ideas and algorithmic procedures related to basic operations by pupils of the 6th degree fundamental teaching in a significant learning process. This way the study had as basis a methodological intervention developed in a 6th degree class of a Fundamental Teaching Municipal School in the city of João Pessoa, PB. The research had as central steps the application of pre-tests (1 and 2); the execution of semi-structured interviews with the pupils involved in the theme deep studies; the elaboration and development of teaching activities, having as referential the significant learning and the application of a pre-test. The data collected in the pre-tests (1 and 2) showed a low level of the pupils comprehension about the contents related to the four operations. The answers to the post-test questions were analyzed mainly from the qualitative point of view based on the mathematic concepts comprehension theory proposed by Skemp (1980) having as complementary subsidy data collected through interviews. The analysis of the results obtained in the post-test showed that the major part of pupils reached a relational comprehension about the ideas and algorithmic procedures related to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Such results showed us that the application of a teaching methodology that privileges the content comprehension, considering the pupils previous knowledge and the reflection about the action along the activities proposed, made possible the elaboration or re-elaboration of knowledge by pupils regarding to contents adopted as theme for our research

Uma proposta para o ensino de eletromagnetismo no nível médio

This paper aims at building a proposal for teaching of electromagnetism in the secondary level in the state public school in Natal, RN, encompassing at the most possible comprehensive manner the fundamental aspects of electromagnetism. The methodology employed here is prioritize physical concepts rather than instruments (such as the mathematics), which should have the connotation of just tools, or of aids in the context of physics teaching in the referred teaching level. The proposal is to give teachers a consultation resource, from differentiated lesson plans, which have as main focus activities based primarily in texts and active participation of students in the teaching- learning process and the implementation of the PCN+ proposals (BRAZIL, 2000), which suggest alternative ways to make the practice in the classroom more exciting, targeting a significant teaching-learning process for both the teacher and the student. This material was applied during the 3rd and 4th term (i.e., bimester) throughout the school year of 2007, in the State School Teacher Varela Barca in two classes (3V1 and 3V2) of 3rd grade of secondary level. As evaluation of the implementation of this proposal one can cite that students were more secure when to apply the concepts, when conducting the experiments, and less anxious when formal evaluation of the evidence, showing greater motivation when presented to electromagnetism contextualized in their everyday situations. The product of this educational work includes, besides the dissertation, the lesson plans, itineraries and experimental assessment of the instruments used (Annex E to I)

Controvérsias sobre a natureza da luz: uma aplicação didática

Researches in the field of Science Teaching have shown, in recent decades, that students from high school level have difficulties in understanding basic concepts of science, in general, and physics, in particular. The specific literature indicates, as a priority for a scientific education of better quality, a more structured understanding about science. This work proposes the introduction of elements of History and Philosophy of Science in high school as an aid to learning the concepts of optics, in general, and of aspects concerning the nature of science, specifically. Making use of historical episodes regarding the controversy on the nature of light, especially during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as clippings of the history of optics in relation to the development of models that explain the process of vision, we formulated a teaching unit and implemented it on two night high school classes of a public school in the city of Parnamirim (RN). The unit involved, primarily, the reading of three historical texts containing written questions followed by a collective debate ("moot"). The results indicated some difficulties in overcoming the misconceptions related to the process of vision and the nature of light. Nevertheless, we believe that the teaching unit has succeeded in relation to the learning of most students, both in relation to a better understanding of science as well as concepts of optics

Objetivos e conteúdos no ensino de física para adultos: um estudo de caso

The dissertation presents the learning, production and results of a study with a group of adult students of a high school level class in a night time public school at the Zona Oeste district of Natal-RN. As a teacher of Physics of these adult students, whose age is between 17 and 65 years, we felt the need to deepen our knowledge about the specifics of these students and build ways of teaching which would lead to a more significant educational process beside them. Among these ways of teaching, we emphasize, first, the performance of an extra-class activity that triggered the students' oral narratives about their life stories. Such narratives have led us to prioritize, as goals of teaching: socialization and the rescue of the search for a permanent learning, self-esteem and skills development to promote the exercise of autonomy. The students' previous contacts with the country life showed to be extremely significant for their memories and motives, suggesting the theme "Nature" to be adopted as a matrix for generative themes to be adopted during the teaching and learning moments with them. Considering these results, we construct a teaching proposal for continued work with the class, with which we chose the "Climate" as a guiding theme of this proposal, here presented and analyzed. In addition to a movement between problematizations developed in a thematic framework - through the initial questions of the students -, and those in a more conceptual approach - that we induced -, we have adopted as central methodological aspect the use of oral and written language, both as an exercise of dialogue, Freire's perspective, such as a structural element of cognitive processes, the perspectives of Vygotsky and Bakhtin. The development of the proposal was registered by audio and teacher and students´ regular written records, for 1 month and a half. As positive outcomes of the proposal, we emphasize the changing attitudes of students, showing a significant increase of their initiative in participating of the classes, besides a creative and critical use of arguments during the situations studied

A estratégia didática de resolução de problemas na formação de professores de química

In this work it is presented a research developed in the initial training of teachers of the chemistry graduation course at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The intervention was realized in two classes in the context of a discipline in the curricular structure with nineteen undergraduate students of chemistry. The study utilizes characteristics of the qualitative approach and uses observation, questionnaires, interviews and examination papers. The experiment involved a sequence of activities fundamented on the Problem Solving (PS) teaching strategy to approach chemical concepts. The proposal was planned and organized according to the theoretical presupposition of the work developed by the authors of the Science Education in PS, of teaching experience and from the initial hypotheses of the research. The goal was that the future teachers could experience the strategy and advance to the new meanings. The themes addressed in the activities were the difference between exercises and problems, exercises turning into problems, the steps of problem solving and some implications of the teaching strategy for the work of the teacher. The results showed evidence that through a process of collective reflection, and from the difficulties experienced in the strategy practice, the undergraduates are introduced to new perspectives of reflection and action of teaching practice, and understanding some benefits of innovative proposals for the teaching of chemistry. It also showed that, although this theme is approached, in some moments of the graduation, the future teachers don‟t know when or how to realize activities in this perspective. From the aspects that rose in research we highlighted the difficulties in the problem solving steps, the use of the strategy in school and the knowledge and skills of the teacher for planning activities in Problem Solving

Educação científica no contexto pós-ontológico: por uma concepção plural de conhecimento e educação

The development of this work arises from the research of sociological and philosophical characters contemplating also other approaches which aims to answer the followingquestions: what is the responsibility of science teaching for the image one has about science? ; which scientific education should be designed for nowadays? . After considering the assumptions brought along by rationalism and the criticisms to the illuminist model proposed by sociology and philosophy of science, as well by the biology of the knowing process, going through discussions concerning post-modernity issues, one is given to understand that the image of science has become the central point of discussion in the last hundred years, including what concerns the area of science teaching, and that practically none of those discussions really reached natural science classes indeed. We adopt the term postontological to characterize the recent proposals on philosophy and sociology, because we evaluate that this term allows a better identification of the scientific realism crisis, which supports the existence of an ontological domain which science, and only science, is able to understand. One notices that the general public is not aware of those discussions, mainly if they are science teachers and students. So we believe that discussing the logic in which science is structured, the new understandings concerning the scientific undertaking, especially those of an externalist character, and the relationship between science and society, all of this contributes to build up a science teaching which contemplates a reflective contribution, besides allowing the inclusion of the study of other epistemologies in the educational practice. We argue that a revisionist posture seems to be the most appropriate for the contemporary scientific education, contemplating, besides the teaching of the usual science contents, discussions on the issues involving that knowledge, as well as respecting epistemologies alternative to the modern Western scientific one, in order one can work on the perception of local knowledge generated from other epistemological bases. We describe here practical activities we did involving teachers (short-term courses) and high-school students in an inland school in the Rio Grande do Norte state, in Brazil, as a way to demonstrate the possibility of interventions which can take those conceptions, discussions and changes to the classroom

Atribuição de significado ao conceito de proporcionalidade: contribuições da história da matemática

This study is the result of a work which approaches the Mathematics History how source of the meaning s attribution in the proportionality concept. We adopt the methodology of the source qualitative and we work with a group of teachers from instruction s public system of the fundamental and medium level from Pocinhos City Paraíba. For the data collection, we use the field notes, the questionnaire, a sequence of activities and the interview semistructured like instruments. The study had how objective to know the significates attributeds to proportionality concept through of the activity mediate from Mathematics History, besides to investigate if a approach of the nature enables modification according to this sense. The results obtaineds though the data analysis indicate that the activities bring contributions which refer to achieve objectives. On the other hand they also showed that we have a long trajectory to be trailed in the meaning of to turn the Mathematics History a subsidy effective in the teachers practice, in view of the formation absence in the knowledge area, besides the necessity of the approach adequated of the Mathematics History in the didatics books of Mathematic

Um estudo sobre o ensino-aprendizagem das demonstrações matemáticas

Demonstrations are fundamental instruments for Mathematics and, as such, are frequently used by mathematicians, math teachers and students. In fact, demonstrations are part of every Mathematics teaching environment, because Mathematics considers something true when it can be demonstrated. This is in contrast to other fields of knowledge that employ observation and experimentation to validate truth. This dissertation presents a study of the teaching and learning of demonstrations in Mathematics, describing a Teaching Module applied in a course on the Theory of Numbers offered by the Mathematics Department of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte for mathematics majors. The objective of the dissertation was to propose and test a Teaching Module that can serve as a model for teaching demonstrations. The Teaching Module consisted of the following five steps: the application of a survey to determine the students‟ profiles and their previous knowledge of mathematical language and techniques of demonstration; the analysis of a series of dialogues containing arguments in everyday language; the investigation and analysis of the structure of some important techniques of demonstration; a written assessment; and, finally, an interview to further verify the principal results of the Teaching Module. The analysis of the data obtained though the classroom activities, written assessments and interviews led to the conclusion that there was a significant amount of assimilation of the issue at the level of relational understanding, (SKEMP, 1980). These instruments verified that the students attained considerable improvement in their use of mathematical language and of the techniques of demonstration presented. Thus, the evidence supports the conclusion that the proposed Teaching Module is an effective means for the teaching/learning of mathematical demonstration and, as such, provides a methodological guide which may lay the foundations for a new approach to this important subject

Uma investigação histórica sobre os logaritmos com sugestões didáticas para a sala de aula

This study was conducted from a preliminary research to identify the conceptual and didactic approach to the logarithms given in the main textbooks adopted by the Mathematics teachers in state schools in the School of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte. I carried out an historical investigation of the logarithms in order to reorient the math teacher to improve its educational approach this subject in the classroom. Based on the research approach I adopted a model of the log based on three concepts: the arithmetic, the geometric and algebraic-functional. The main objective of this work is to redirect the teacher for a broad and significant understanding of the content in order to overcome their difficulties in the classroom and thus realize an education that can reach the students learning. The investigative study indicated the possibility of addressing the logarithms in the classroom so transversalizante and interdisciplinary. In this regard, I point to some practical applications of this matter are fundamental in the study of natural phenomena as earthquakes, population growth, among others. These practical applications are connected, approximately, Basic Problematization Units (BPUs) to be used in the classroom. In closing, I offer some activities that helped teachers to understand and clarify the meaningful study of this topic in their teaching practice

Vídeo-aula de história da matemática: uma possibilidade didática para o ensino de matemática

In this work we are disagreeing with the possibility of production and of the use of video-class for the disciplines of history of mathematics by the teachers of elementary e middle school as a way to contribute to the development of their classes. Our goal is to provide to the mathematics teachers the option of connecting social, scientific, cognitive, and didactic aspects of topics in math thoughts to their students. That shall be based in the presence of mathematics in the history of humanity. Thus, we consider possible that teachers and their students can link and relate mathematics to other sciences, education culture, and reflect about the many ways of represent them, as well as the patters of organization of nature and of culture. In this way, they shall be able to observe and interpret situations that involve mathematical questions associated to the various means of historic-epistemological studies already done by other researchers and scholars in the field of history of mathematics who works in creating video-classes. In addition to that, we can use all the available media in order to give edifying dynamics to the mathematical formulations established throughout history. In this sense, we are based and focused on the objectives, which are sustained by educational computer technology, techniques for video making, as well as mathematical teaching proposals and the historical inquiring made by Mendes (2001, 2009a, 2009b). The validating experimentation allowed us to conclude that the techniques we used in the production of the history of mathematics video-classes proved they to be valid ones. They are able to be executed with the minimum of technological resources. In addition, they have the same efficacy as far as classroom use

Formação continuada de professores que ensinam matemática: o papel do ábaco na ressignificação da prática pedagógica

The present dissertation performs a study about abacus part on the continuous education of Elementary School s Mathematic teachers on what concerns the basic operations of addition and subtraction with (re)unification by using the manipulative and/or informatical abacus. Therefore, the research intends to answer the following question: How does a teacher reframe the pedagogical practice while teaching the Decimal Numeral System and the conventional operations of addition and subtraction with (re)unification through manipulative and informatical abacus? In order to do so, we rely ourselves on the Guy Brousseau s Theory of Didactic Situations (TDS) from 1996 that affirms the necessity to trace a way in accordance with the teaching situations that lead the student s learning; and on the work of Pierre Lévy (1993), in which the poles of communication oral, written and virtual create three ways of communication through which the learning process happens. The methodology of this paper was based on the Strategic Research-Action of Franco (2005). The didactic sequence was elaborated in accordance with TDS and used the manipulative and informatical abacus as didactic resource. With the application of the didactic sequence, it was verified that the continued formation of Elementary School s teachers concerning the operations of addition and subtraction on the initial years/levels is pertinent once it has been observed some difficulties of the teachers concerning this mathematical subject. Besides, the analysis of the didactic sequence has allowed one to realize that teachers had some difficulties concerning the numeric representation with order zero, the resolution of operations of addition and subtraction using the manipulative and informatical abacus and the realization of (re)unification on the subtraction with meaning. These observations has been discussed with the teachers and, after that, it has been done some didactic-methodological routings of the operations of addition and subtraction with re(unification) that contributes with the teaching and learning process.

Um hipermídia sobre fases da lua para o ensino de astronomia a distância

The interdisciplinary nature of Astronomy makes it a field of great potential to explore various scientific concepts. However, studies show a great lack of understanding of fundamental subjects, including models that explain phenomena that mark everyday life, like the phases of the moon. Particularly in the context of distance education, learning of such models can be favored by the use of technologies of information and communication. Among other possibilities, we highlight the importance of digital materials that motivate and expand the forms of representation available about phenomena and models. It is also important, however, that these materials promote the explicitation of student's conceptions, as well as interaction with the most central aspects of the astronomical model for the phenomenon. In this dissertation we present a hypermedia module aimed at learning about the phases of the moon, drawn from an investigation on the difficulties with the subject during an Astronomy course for teaching training at undergraduate level at UFRN. The tests of three semesters of course were analyzed, taking into account also the alternative conceptions reported in the literature in astronomy education. The product makes use of small texts, questions, images and interactive animations. Emphasizes questions about the illumination of the Moon and other bodies, and their relationship to the sun, the perception from different angles of objects illuminated by a single source, the cause of the alternation between day and night, the identification of Moon's orbit around the Earth and the occurrence of the phases as a result of the position of observing it, and the perception of time involved in the phenomenon. The module incorporated considerations obtained from interviews with students in two poles where its given presential support for students of the course, and subjects from different pedagogical contexts. The final form of the material was used in a real situation of learning, as supplementary material for the final test of the discipline. The material was analyzed by 7 students and 4 tutors, among 56 users, in the period in question. Most students considered that the so called "Lunar Module" made a difference in their learning, the animations were considered the most prominent aspect, the images were indicated as stimulating and enlightening, and the text informative and enjoyable. The analysis of learning of these students, observing their responses to issues raised at the last evaluation, suggested gains in key aspects relating to the understanding of the phases, but also indicates more persistent difficulties. The work leads us to conclude that it is important to seek contributions for the training of science teachers making use of new technologies, with attention to the treatment of computer as a complementary resource. The interviews that preceded the use of the module, and the way student has sought the module if with questions and/or previous conflicts - established great difference in the effective contribution of the material, indicating that it should be used with the mediation of teacher or tutor, or via strategies that cause interactions between students. It is desirable that these interactions are associated with the recovery of memories of the subjects about previous observations and models, as well as the stimulus to new observations of phenomena

A leitura como instrumento facilitador da compreensão matemática

This research builds on a qualitative approach and proposes action research to develop, implement and evaluate a strategy grounded in the teaching of geometry reading from different text types, in order to enhance the understanding of mathematical concepts by students in the 6th grade of elementary school. The teaching of mathematics, strengthened by a reading practice that fosters a greater understanding of science, because it would contribute to the expansion of vocabulary, acquire a higher level of reasoning, interpretation and understanding, providing opportunities thus a greater contextualization of the student, making out the role of mere spectator to the builder of mathematical knowledge. As a methodological course comply with the following steps: selecting a field of intervention school, the class-subject (6 years of elementary school) and teacher-collaborator. Then there was a diagnostic activity involving the content of geometry - geometric solids, flat regions and contours - with the class chosen, and it was found, in addition to the unknown geometry, a great difficulty to contextualize it. From the analysis of the answers given by students, was drawn up and applied three interventional activities developed from various text (legends, poems, articles, artwork) for the purpose of leading the student to realize, through reading these texts, the discussions generated from these questions and activities proposed by the present mathematics in context, thus getting a better understanding and interaction with this discipline as hostility by most students. It was found from the intervention, the student had a greater ability to understand concepts, internalize information and use of geometry is more consistent and conscientious, and above all, learning math more enjoyable

Uma sequencia didática para o ensino da resolução da equação do 2. grau : adequação para o uso com professores

The present study aims to check whether the use of activities mediated by the History of Mathematics can contribute to improve the understanding of resolution the 2nd degree equation for teachers and undergraduates that reproduce methods of solving such equations, uncritically, without domain of the justifications for their actions. For this, we adapted a didactic sequence with activities that aims to cause a rediscovery of resolutive formula of 2nd degree equation through the method known as cut and paste. Finally, we presented the activity module containing the didactic sequence used during the study, as suggestion for use in the classroom, by the math teacher

Euler e os números pentagonais

The present investigation includes a study of Leonhard Euler and the pentagonal numbers is his article Mirabilibus Proprietatibus Numerorum Pentagonalium - E524. After a brief review of the life and work of Euler, we analyze the mathematical concepts covered in that article as well as its historical context. For this purpose, we explain the concept of figurate numbers, showing its mode of generation, as well as its geometric and algebraic representations. Then, we present a brief history of the search for the Eulerian pentagonal number theorem, based on his correspondence on the subject with Daniel Bernoulli, Nikolaus Bernoulli, Christian Goldbach and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert. At first, Euler states the theorem, but admits that he doesn t know to prove it. Finally, in a letter to Goldbach in 1750, he presents a demonstration, which is published in E541, along with an alternative proof. The expansion of the concept of pentagonal number is then explained and justified by compare the geometric and algebraic representations of the new pentagonal numbers pentagonal numbers with those of traditional pentagonal numbers. Then we explain to the pentagonal number theorem, that is, the fact that the infinite product(1 x)(1 xx)(1 x3)(1 x4)(1 x5)(1 x6)(1 x7)... is equal to the infinite series 1 x1 x2+x5+x7 x12 x15+x22+x26 ..., where the exponents are given by the pentagonal numbers (expanded) and the sign is determined by whether as more or less as the exponent is pentagonal number (traditional or expanded). We also mention that Euler relates the pentagonal number theorem to other parts of mathematics, such as the concept of partitions, generating functions, the theory of infinite products and the sum of divisors. We end with an explanation of Euler s demonstration pentagonal number theorem