Por que estimular a Aprendizagem Significativa no ensino de Programação Orientada a Objetos?

Este artigo apresenta uma análise crítico-reflexiva sobre a adoção da teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa no ensino-aprendizagem de Programação Orientada a Objetos. Este texto apresenta a visão dos autores de como a teoria de David Ausubel pode ser aplicada com resultados positivos no processo de construção do conhecimento, em especial no ensino de Programação Orientada a Objetos através de práticas e recursos que possam trazer mais significado ao aluno, como por exemplo, o uso Computação Física e Concreteness Fading.

Student Development in Logical Reasoning: Results of an Intervention Guiding Students Through Different Modes of Visual and Formal Representation

Due to growing interest in twenty-first-century skills, and critical thinking as a key element, logical reasoning is gaining increasing attention in mathematics curricula in secondary education. In this study, we report on an analysis of video recordings of student discussions in one class of seven students who were taught with a specially designed course in logical reasoning for non-science students (12th graders). During the course of 10 lessons, students worked on a diversity of logical reasoning tasks: both closed tasks where all premises were provided and everyday reasoning tasks with implicit premises. The structure of the course focused on linking different modes of representation (enactive, iconic, and symbolic), based on the model of concreteness fading (Fyfe et al., 2014). Results show that students easily link concrete situations to certain iconic referents, such as formal (letter) symbols, but need more practice for others, such as Venn and Euler diagrams. We also show that the link with the symbolic mode, i.e. an interpretation with more general and abstract models, is not that strong. This might be due to the limited time spent on further practice. However, in the transition from concrete to symbolic via the iconic mode, students may take a step back to a visual representation, which shows that working on such links is useful for all students. Overall, we conclude that the model of concreteness fading can support education in logical reasoning. One recommendation is to devote sufficient time to establishing links between different types of referents and representations.

Improving Understanding of Mathematical Equivalence

Modify arithmetic problem formats to make the relational equation structure more transparent. We describe this practice and three additional evidence-based practices: (1) introducing the equal sign outside of arithmetic, (2) concreteness fading activities, and (3) comparing and explaining different problem formats and problem-solving strategies.

One Instructional Sequence Fits all? A Conceptual Analysis of the Applicability of Concreteness Fading in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology Education

To help students acquire mathematics and science knowledge and competencies, educators typically use multiple external representations (MERs). There has been considerable interest in examining ways to present, sequence, and combine MERs. One prominent approach is the concreteness fading sequence, which posits that instruction should start with concrete representations and progress stepwise to representations that are more idealized. Various researchers have suggested that concreteness fading is a broadly applicable instructional approach. In this theoretical paper, we conceptually analyze examples of concreteness fading in the domains of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology and discuss its generalizability. We frame the analysis by defining and describing MERs and their use in educational settings. Then, we draw from theories of analogical and relational reasoning to scrutinize the possible cognitive processes related to learning with MERs. Our analysis suggests that concreteness fading may not be as generalizable as has been suggested. Two main reasons for this are discussed: (1) the types of representations and the relations between them differ across different domains, and (2) the instructional goals between domains and subsequent roles of the representations vary.

Concreteness Fading Strategy: A Promising and Sustainable Instructional Model in Mathematics Classrooms

Conceptual understanding has been emphasized in the national curriculum and principles and standards across nations as it is the key in mathematical learning. However, mathematics instruction in classrooms often relies on rote memorization of mathematical rules and formulae without conceptual connections. This study considers the concreteness fading instruction strategy—starting with physical activities with manipulatives and gradually fading concreteness to access abstract concepts and representations—as a promising and sustainable instructional model for supporting students in accessing conceptual understanding in mathematics classrooms. The results from the case study support the validity of the concreteness fading framework in providing specific instructional strategies in each phase of concept development. This study implies the development of sustainable teacher education and professional development by providing specific instructional strategies for conceptual understanding.