O uso de jogos matemáticos na perspectiva da resolução e exploração de problemas no Ensino Médio

Abstract

In the present research a work with mathematical games was developed, in order to identify and analyze potential uses of pedagogical games in the perspective of the solving and exploring mathematical problems with high school students. It was a qualitative pedagogical research. For data collection field notes, descriptions, observations, and student productions were used. Fieldwork was carried out at a State Public School in João Pessoa (in the state of Paraíba, Brazil), with students from the first year of high school. The analysis of the use of games was carried with two purposes. The first one, from a perspective that approaches Constructivism, was to develop the content from the pedagogical game; while the second one was to revise the mathematical content, restructuring the mathematical ideas that were not well understood. In this context, this research aimed at developing activities on quadratic function with the game Enigma de Funções (Function Enigmas) being the second purpose only highlighted as a possibility of use of the game considering the resolution and exploration of mathematical problems. The observations, analyzes, and descriptions demonstrate the students' difficulties in making the transition among tabular, graphical and algebraic representations in the mathematical language expressed in quadratic functions and in fundamental mathematical operations. In the activities the perception and analysis of the error were explored. Moreover, during mediation the construction of the understanding of the error was enabled as a possibility of right answers. Therefore, it is noteworthy the perception of error as a potentiality of the pedagogical game since, when the students work on their errors they develop awareness of what must be corrected and reevaluated; thus, improving their strategies and mathematical comprehension. The students’ actions were also clear when their questions contributed to the mediations carried out during the activities. The games were well received by the students and in the course of their activities they discovered mathematics as an interactive subject. The final conclusion of this work evidenced that the pedagogical game, combined with the resolution and exploration of mathematical problems favored the development of significant potentialities in the construction of the knowledge of essential notions of quadratic functions.