Computer-Based Mathematics Instructions with MATCOS: A pedagogical Experiment

In this chapter, the authors describe the research and experimentation carried out and the results achieved in the last ten years in Calabrian secondary schools in the teaching/learning of Mathematics with the aid of computer programming in the MATCOS environment. The conclusions of the present work of research and experimentation are stated either in the relevant section, available in the articles mentioned in the bibliography, or can be found in the CIRD library. The chapter is organized as follows: first, the authors introduce the general background which prompted the research activity, and after, they present the MATCOS programming environment and elucidate its pedagogical-educational paradigm, technical characteristics, and use in everyday teaching through an example. Finally, the authors give a detailed description of the experimentation and the results obtained in the last few years. Future trends and conclusions round off the paper.