Abstract:

At a time when students have multiple demands in terms of technology and the resources and tools available are more and more varied, the school must respond with more attractive activities. It is, therefore, essential to provide students with digital tools accessible through the devices they are most familiar with, mobile phones and computers. By using these tools, we are creating a stimulating environment capable of engaging the students, providing them with the means to build their knowledge.

In this paper we present a didactic experience in the subject of Mathematics carried out in a distance learning context, on the topic Quadratic Function, using the digital and free platform Desmos. Desmos has a very intuitive interface where you can create sets of interactive activities and tasks that facilitate learning mathematics, in order to make it more meaningful.

The use of this tool was determinant for the teaching and learning of quadratic function since its teaching took place in distance education and students didn't have, at that time, a graphing calculator or any simulator in their computers.

Ten activities on the quadratic function were constructed, involving various parameters so that the students, observing the changes on the graphs, were able to understand the concepts underlying this subject, namely vertical and horizontal translations of the graph, domain, range, injectivity, zeros, monotony, extremes, axis of symmetry and coordinates of the vertex of the parabola representing the graph of the quadratic function.

This didactic experience was applied to two classes of 10th grade in Portuguese Educational System, involving forty-seven students, 76.7% of whom highlighted the fact that it facilitated learning in the study of functions, followed by 74.4% who considered the environment dynamic and attractive as well as the feedback given in the answers to the exercises.

The use of digital tools should always be complemented with the teacher’s human component. The profile of each student is unique and specific, and the pace of learning differs from student to student. A tool like Desmos, which students are enthusiastic about using, allows monitoring of individual performance and timely and appropriate intervention by the teacher.

In a pandemic context, the use of tools to gauge student learning was a necessity, but practices such as the one described in this paper should be incorporated into a normal classroom environment, promoting discovery through graphical and algebraic manipulation.

Keywords:

Mathematics, quadratic function, Desmos, feedback.