Uma investigação sobre escalas a partir de uma perspectiva interdisciplinar

Abstract

The current paper aims to analyze the role of disciplinary actions in shaping the formaction of the concept of the scale of the student. In order to do so, the literature, didactics about the subject, the position of the docents who work in the areas and the legislation established by the National Curricula Parameters were investigated. The research is held in the line of Epistemology and Language, of the Post Graduation Program in Education at the University of Caxias do Sul, coordinated by Professor Doctor Jayme Paviani and monitored by Professor Doctor Francisco Catelli who works in the investigation of alternative approaches in the teaching of sciences. In the first chapter an analysis of the research object, "Scale", is made in order to search for elements in the history of Mathematics and Physics and relate them with Education, especially concerning the of knowledge building. In the second chapter an investigation on the literature about interdisciplinarity is held, consulting mainly to authors Jayme Paviani and Olga Pombo, to examine the presence of the concept of interdisciplinarity in the construction of knowledge. In the third chapter the aim is to identify the process of building, reading and interpretation of the scale object in the perspective of mathematics and physics teachers of high school, verifying their conceptions about this object, and in what it contributes on the pupils´ formation. It was observed even before the beginning of this research that the scale object was not clear enough for the High School student who often has difficulty in building it and interpreting it. It was then necessary to answer the question: "What arguments give support of implementation of actions interdisciplinary teaching of scales and measures in high school?" In order to understand the way in which the scale object is being developed, an analysis of didactic materials was made, having books of Math and Physical aproved in the National Program of Didactic Book, and delivered for teachers and students of public high schools selected as samples.So that we could find out the positioning of the docents about the way the concept of scale is worked, a semi-structured interview was conducted with a group of mathematics and physics teachers who work with these books every day. From the analysis of their answers it was verified how they believe their pupils learn, not only this concept, but the fundamental definitions of the student´s formation, and, if they believe that interdisciplinary actions can foster the improvement in grasping concepts. Through this research it was possible to notice that the concepts of scale and of measure are often seen only as tools and not as ways of communication or representations. These concepts do not belong to a unique subject, that is why the interdisciplinarity is needed, a concept which is not enough developed in the school context. The realization of the need to broaden the view camp of science gives scientific relevance to the research, going beyond the knowledge of only one subject and interacting with other areas. Furthermore, this investigation is pedagogically relevant as it intends to contribute for the bridging of an important gap existing in the process of teaching-learning of Mathematics and Physics, the limited awareness of teachers and pupils of the inherent character of the concepts of scale and measure, a character that gives them the due extension.