Abstract:

In this paper, we show how to work competences during mathematics courses by using different mathematical software. Using a computer-based learning in Mathematics makes easier students’ assessment about notions and procedures, moving the main importance from the computation to the understanding. Additionally, computer software becomes a very useful resource for our students’ self-learning because it provides tools to handle problems through experimentation and simulation.

In this sense, the main goal of this contribution is to explain our methodology in the classroom to explain and work mathematical notions and problems with computers and mathematical software. Through several examples, we show the use of Mathematica and GeoGebra in our day-to-day work our students to achieve the basic mathematical compentences (and transversally digital competences too).

With computers, our students can ‘touch’ and ‘see’ the mathematical objects (especially, when they have some geometrical meaning) and temporarily keep away the necessary level of abstraction in Algebra and Calculus to understand conceptually the notions and procedures. Once they have been worked and start to be consolidated in our students, we can advance to the next level of abstraction. Anyway, computers and mathematical software do not replace the need of arguing and justifying each of student’s assertions and conclusions based on a chain of theoretical-logic reasoning.

Keywords:

Competence-based learning, computer-based learning, mathematics courses, Mathematica, GeoGebra.