The use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching methodology in Numerical Analysis Course

Abstract

This article describes the main results of a research carried out in the course of Numerical Analysis with two groups with students from differents undergraduate degree courses (Energy, Chemistry, Production and Food Engineering and Programs in the Teaching of  Mathematics and Chemistry), offered at a public university located in south of Brazil, totaling sixty-eigth students. The objective of the research was to investigate the possibilities and limitations throughout the process of implementing the Problem Based Learning (PBL) methodology. A qualitative approach is used to present the results, based on research of the pedagogical intervention type (DAMIANI, et al., 2013). During the activities, it was possible to observe that the PBL generated more dynamic classes, the problem situations provided student interest, as well as the professor-student relationship became more cooperative, with evident construction of meanings of the mathematical content explored. It it is also important to highlight some difficulties in the process, such as time management, the number of students and the adaptation of students to the new format of the classes.