Learning the parabola through semiotic records in university students

Abstract

Learning achieved by students in their first course of mathematics at the university reflects a low achievement, which is especially observed in the topic of the parabola. Due to this problem, the objective of improving the academic achievement of students in that topic, through a didactic strategy based on semiotic representations, was proposed. To this end, a quantitative inquiry was carried out, with a pre-test post-test design, on both a control group and an experimental group. There, a total of 44 students, of an average age of 19 years who were taking the subject of Mathematics Foundations, participated. It was found that the gain between the post-test and pre-test measurement was significantly higher (p<0.01) in the experimental group with respect to the control group, where the conventional strategy for the course was being used. It is concluded that it is possible to improve the learning of the parabola in students through the strategy based on semiotic representations, and that it is highly recommended to apply it for the learning of other mathematical objects in the basic sciences courses of the engineering division.