Abstract. Some examples of educational proposals in class, integrated heavily on the use of computers as a tool ... Computer programming gives the possibility to organize, produce, understand and establish ... The Turkish Online Journal of.
ENHANCE LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL WITH PROGRAMMING: SOME EXAMPLES WITH ENVIRONMENT MATCOS Maria Giovanna Frassia Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Calabria (ITALY)
Abstract Some examples of educational proposals in class, integrated heavily on the use of computers as a tool to programming and aimed at retrieving of geometric constructions for a conscious learning of Euclidean geometry in high school are presented. The proposals aim to introduce, through the practice of programming, methodologies different from those in traditional that lead students to experience the mathematical discovery in a new and especially constructive way. Keywords: programming environment, mathematics education, technology-enhanced learning, geometry.
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INTRODUCTION
The use of technological resources in the teaching of mathematics allows you to create new opportunities in the processes of teaching-learning and at the same time operate active links between the ideas and the mathematical content; In this sense technology, inserted in an appropriate methodological framework is, therefore, a broker. The last thirty years several studies have been directed to the study and analysis of the role and effects, at the cognitive level, concerning the use of technology in teaching and learning of Mathematics ([2]; [7]; [8]; [17]; [20]; [25]; [31]; [33]). In particular, the value of the programming in educational and pedagogical terms has been recognized internationally ([1]; [9]; [11]; [14]; [15]; [16]; [17]; [18]; [24]; [26]; [28]; [30]). Furthermore, the curriculum of mathematics have given an increasing emphasis on problem solving processes, indicating a didactic problems of intentional and functional nature than the educational goals to be achieved, in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities1. The importance of the programming was stressed since the early years of schooling, too ([3]; [4]; [5]; [19]). Computer programming gives the possibility to organize, produce, understand and establish processes and procedures in order to plan, design and build prototypes to computer with objects; this means to provide the student with an intellectual formation in all its components (logical, intuitive, creative and imaginative) and, at the same time, in the context of simple mathematics to model realworld problems. The programming environment MatCos, created and produced in the Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Didattica of University of Calabria (Italy) ([12]; [13]) is oriented to the teaching - learning of mathematics and provides the real opportunity for students to explore, develop, interact and then to realize according to a drawing "piece by piece" that become units ([6]; [10]; [17]). In this frame the following work is situated and it shows the potential of computer programming in the teaching - learning of mathematics; in particular, some examples about the construction of geometric objects with the use of the environment MatCos are explained.
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