Abstract:
This study aims to: (i) explore statistical information in newspapers and other publications in the development of statistical teaching materials in Social Sciences courses taught at the Social Sciences Training and Research Unit (UFICS); (ii) evaluate the effects that these teaching support instruments have on students' cognition of content and; (iii) contribute with recommendations that lead to the improvement of the teaching material of statistics and, therefore, the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process of this subject. For the study, the researcher developed didactic material, based on articles from the newspaper (NOTICIAS) and magazine “XITIMELA”, having selected texts with statistical information of social and economic scope according to the teaching objectives of the formal curriculum in force at UFICS. The materials were prepared according to the instructional material design and development processes; the contents were developed taking into account the formal curriculum in force at the EMU and the instructional activities were designed, with a greater focus on the inductive approach, open questions, computer use and group work. The study involved 60 students from the 2nd year of bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from the academic year 2002/2003, for eight consecutive weeks with a workload of three hours per week. The sessions were guided by two monitors of the discipline and accompanied by the professor of the discipline. Data were collected from students through three assessment instruments: questionnaire, direct observation and semi-structured interviews. From the three assessment instruments applied, the results allowed to conclude that the didactic material innovated, and used according to an inductive approach, and applicable to the teaching of Statistics. The same material led students not only to have a more positive attitude towards Statistics, but, above all, it led them to understand that Statistics is not dissociated from the context of real life, which is important for the development of the ability to reading, analyzing and interpreting statistical information. In the set of recommendations and suggestions, it is emphasized that teachers should always develop authentic and realistic materials to motivate students, as well as, in conducting classes, tasks and exercises appropriate to their context and interest.(TRADUÇÃO NOSSA)
