O ambiente virtual de aprendizagem como apoio ao ensino presencial de matemática : uma proposta com design instrucional

Abstract

The development, use and presence of information and communication technologies (ICT) within the area of Education create new opportunities for teaching and learning, so as to ascribe new meanings to educational practices. New methodologies allow the student to participate, interact and act individually and collectively in teaching and learning processes. In that context, Learning Management Systems (LMS), represented by software programs, support information exchange, communication, interaction and allow teachers to make educational material avilable in different media. Instructional Design (ID) is recommended for the development of those systems, so as to outline strategies and resources to be used in the educational processes. This research aims to analyze the use of the LMS Moodle as a tool to support face to face high school education in Mathematics. To reach that goal, specific objectives were drawn: planning (analyzing, designing and developing), implementing and assessing the course that will support students in Mathematics classes, under the light of Instructional Design; describing and analyzing how students see the use of Moodle in their Mathematics classes; and describing and analyzing how the teacher sees the use of ICTs Moodle in his Mathematics classes. In terms of methodology, we carried out a qualitative case study, which required literature review, document research, participatory observation, surveys and interviews. The data were analyzed and triangulated. Results show that instructional design contributes to the Mathematics classes supported by Moodle. As to students’ perception of this process, they see the relevance of the LMS as a space of support to their learning. However, technical issues, like the lab infrastructure and the low quality Internet access may hinder the use of the LMS in classtime or by a large number of students. According to the teacher interviewed, Moodle proved to be an effective complementation to normal classes, as it allowed interaction among participants, making resources available, organizing materials and activities, and access to reports. We also highlight that instructional desgin is a slow process that requires time for planning, implementing and assessing courses, but it can also be very effective for teaching and learning.