Abstract:

The research consists on the development of educational material supported by software technologies; that have as background the methodology known as the Zone of Proximal Development. We have as main purpose to prove that you can get better results in the teaching-learning process of numerical calculus (Scientific calculation) by using adequate computational resources. We also want to prove that we can decrease the failure rates and improve retention in the engineering majors given at Facultad de Estudios Superiores de Cuautitlán of UNAM by using educational material in computers.

The use of technologies supported by theoretical methodological cognitive aspects is a condition that encourages important changes in the educational institutions so that they can respond to social and cultural demands and to changes in the qualifying demands of the job market. (Cabero, Barroso and Román, 2001)

The meaning of mathematical education is different in a society with a high technological development than in a traditional rural society. Mathematics are becoming important to everyone. We need certain math to understand the computer-assisted machinery, the conventional technology and also to give sense to the information. These demands establish the problem for mathematical education aims. If maths are not only a part of our scientific culture but also a useful set of competences and conceptions for a variety of professional and other activities, we must review the philosophy of mathematical education from the beginning to the end.

In the last 20 years there has been grate discussions about the improvement of the use of computer science resources in general teaching and, particularly, in math’s teaching. Numerical calculus (Scientific calculation) is the field of study related to the construction of mathematical models and numerical techniques to solve problems, not only scientific problems but also technological. Thus that, in this work we highlight the concepts that support our software applications, specifically we use the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development developed by Lev Vygotsky. We also want to demonstrate that using technology when teaching numerical methods will really benefit students in terms of improving their grades and getting a meaningful learning.

Keywords:

Zone of proximal development, scientific calculation, mathematical education.