Micro worlds: learning about probabilities in simulated contexts

Abstract

In this study, the learning processes of the concepts of the probability topic are based on the use and simulation of the micro world tools by the learning actors, who demonstrated creativity, selection of the objects visible in the interface, and the introduction of basic programming principles associated with the topic in question. For the development of the study, we proceeded by the experimental design of a pre-experimental type of an intact group made up of 50 students from the 5th academic semester of the Professional School of Education of a Public University. The data were collected by an academic test before and after the experimentation, to later be processed and analyzed through the Student's t-statistic expression for related samples, reaching the following conclusion. The experimentation with micro worlds as active learning strategies based on the theory of constructionism, presents a high degree of interactivity associated with sounds, silhouettes, graphics and activities, which allowed to promote the conceptualization, resolution of exercises and problems of the topic in an experiential way in environments natural simulated by the computer.