An analysis of mathematics questions in higher education admission exams from the perspective of Computational Thinking

Abstract

The research discussed in this article aims to identify mathematical problems with the potential to work on Computational Thinking (CT) skills, as well as to explain such potentials, in order to reflect  on  the  skills  of  CT  in  the  discipline  of  Mathematics  in  Basic  Education.  These mathematical problems will be the questions present in entrance exams for admission to higher education. It is worth mentioning that the importance of PC development is emphasized both in the BNCC and in the curriculum guidelines of the New High School. The research methodology adopted  follows  a  qualitative  research  approach  based  on  document  analysis,  and  content analysis  was  used  to  analyze  the  data.  In  the  analysis,  we  sought  to  identify  the  relationship between  Mathematics  presented  in  the  questions  and  CT  skills  that  involve  Abstraction, Algorithmization, Representation, Decomposition and Simulation. Such analysis allowed us to conclude  that  these  skills  have  been  required  in  the  Mathematics  questions  of  such  exams, where  we  can  establish  an  average  association,  according  to  the  criteria  developed  by  the authors,  between  the  CT  skills  and  Mathematics.  This  indicated  that  there  is  room  to  explore such  skills  in  exams  of  this  nature  and  to  approach,  discuss  and  improve  them  in  Basic Education in Mathematics teaching and learning processes.