Computational Thinking Situations in Mathematics classes: an analysis of Elementary School textbook collections

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how textbook collections, approved by the Programa Nacional do Livro Didático, address the algorithms construction for solving geometric problems. This is a qualitative research, based on assumptions of Content Analysis. The analysis was based on situations related to Computational Thinking and geometric concepts, contained in eight collections of Elementary School textbooks, showing skills of the Base Nacional Comum Curricular. We found that of the skills associated with Computational Thinking, EF06MA23 contained the largest number of situations involving algorithms construction. As for the representations proposed for the organization of the algorithm, approximately 46% of the mobilizations carried out were approached by exploring natural language and 41% in the flowchart/schema representation. Furthermore, only 9 situations explore different types of representation in the algorithm construction. The algorithm represented in programming language was identified in only two collections, which suggest the use of visual programming environments/software.