Dissertação de Mestrado em Ensino das Ciências apresentada à Universidade Aberta É inegável que as Novas Tecnologias da Informação desempenham um papel cada vez mais relevante na vida quotidiana. Para aproveitar estas potencialidades, mais precisamente dos computadores e dos Softwares Educativos, decidimos abandonar, por algum tempo, as práticas lectivas tradicionais e enveredar pelos caminhos das Novas Tecnologias de modo que as práticas lectivas fossem capazes de suscitar interesse e melhorar a aprendizagem dos alunos. A utilização do Software Educativo pode estimular a autonomia nos alunos, no seu estudo em casa e na Escola. Utilizou-se o Software Educativo “Saber Mais Matemática 11º ano" da Porto Editora, em duas escolas, uma Secundária e outra Profissional ao longo de 6 sessões de 60 minutos, na área da Matemática, no 11º ano e 2º ano, respectivamente, no currículo de “sucessões". O estudo implementado visou investigar a possibilidade da utilização do Software Educativo como forma de melhorar as aprendizagens dos alunos, estimulando o seu interesse, empenho e atenção. Procurou-se também averiguar a existência de diferenças significativas entre escolas no que respeita ao efeito do programa escolhido. Assim, utilizaram-se quatro turmas, todas com características diferentes, que utilizaram o Software Educativo: Turma A (Escola Secundária), com 18 sujeitos; Turma B (Escola Secundária), com 17 sujeitos; Turma C (Escola Profissional), com 20 sujeitos; Turma D (Escola Profissional), com 18 sujeitos. Devido às características do estudo e uma vez que as turmas já estavam formadas no início do ano lectivo e ao facto de eu próprio ser docente das turmas C e D, desenvolveu-se um estudo do tipo quasi-experimental. Para a sua consecução, foram utilizados vários instrumentos de recolha de dados: um questionário de literacia pessoal e informática para todas as turmas antes das 6 sessões; um questionário a todos os professores de matemática das duas escolas; uma entrevista no final das 6 sessões, aos alunos da turma C e D da Escola Profissional; um teste formativo no final das 6 sessões a todas as turmas; uma grelha de recolha de notas realizada no segundo e terceiro período, relacionadas com o interesse, postura e atenção dos alunos das turmas C e D. Foram realizados testes estatísticos para verificar se a utilização do Software Educativo teve impacto ou não nas turmas. Neste sentido, utilizou-se o teste do Qui-Quadrado para estudar a independência das variáveis, o teste de Friedman para comparar os resultados de cada turma e o teste de Kruskal-Wallis para comparar os resultados do teste realizado pelas turmas no final das seis sessões. Os questionários de literacia pessoal e informática aos alunos serviram para fazer a caracterização dos sujeitos investigados. O outro questionário de literacia pessoal e informática serviu para confirmar a pouca utilização que os professores ainda fazem do computador, quer em casa, quer na escola e a vontade que têm para utilizar estas ferramentas de maneira a melhorar a atitude e aproveitamento dos alunos. Os resultados obtidos aplicando os testes estatísticos revelam que existem diferenças significativas no aproveitamento e nas atitudes dos alunos, quando se utilizou o Software Educativo. O rendimento escolar dos alunos melhorou, como também melhorou no global a atitude dos alunos face à Matemática. É de salientar, também, que os melhores e razoáveis alunos preferem as aulas tradicionais, sendo os alunos com menos e razoáveis capacidades que obtiveram resultados mais significativos, ou seja, são os que obtiveram melhores resultados escolares e que mais motivados ficaram para a aprendizagem desta disciplina Résumé - Il est incontestable que les nouvelles technologies de l’information ont un rôle de plus en plus important et éminent dans notre vie quotidienne. Afin de profiter de ces potentialités, plus précisément des ordinateurs et des softwares éducatifs, on a décidé d’abandonner, par quelque temps, les pratiques lectives traditionnelles et, acheminer par les chemins des nouvelles technologies de l’information de façon à que les pratiques lectives fuissent capables de susciter l’intérêt et améliorer l’apprentissage des élèves. L’utilisation du Software Éducatif peut stimuler l’autonomie chez les élèves, dans leurs études à l’école et à la maison. On a utilisé le Software Éducatif « Savoir plus en Mathématique 11ème année » de la société éditrice Porto Editora, en deux écoles, une École Secondaire et une École Professionnelle pendant six sections de soixante minutes, dans le domaine de la mathématique, dans la 11ème et 12ème année, respectivement, dans le chapitre des « successions ». L’étude implémenté a visé ênqueter la possibilité de l’utilisation du Software Éducatif comme moyen d’améliorer les apprentissages des élèves, en stimulant leur intérêt, leur engagement et leur attention. On a cherché aussi avérer l’existence de différences significatives entre écoles en ce qui concerne l’effet du programme choisi. Ainsi, on a pratiqué dans quatre classes avec des caractéristiques différentes, qui ont utilisé le Software Éducatif : Classe A (École Secondaire), avec 18 sujets ; Classe B (École Secondaire), avec 17 sujets ; Classe C (École Profissionnelle), avec 20 sujets ; Classe D (École Profissionnelle), avec 18 sujets. Dû aux caractéristiques de l’étude et parce que les classe sont déjà constituées dés le début de l’année scolaire, et, en étant moi-même professeur des classes C et D, on a developpé une étude de type quasi-experimental. Pour sa consécution, on a utilisé plusieurs instruments de recherche de données : un questionnaire de littératie personnelle et informatique pour toutes les classes avant les six sections ; un questionnaite à tous les professeurs de mathématique des deux écoles ; une interview à la fin des six sections aux élèves des classes C et D de l’École Profissionnelle ; un test formatif à la fin des six sections à toutes les classes ; une grille de notes réalisée dans le 2ème et 3ème trimestres, se rapportant avec l’intérêt, la posture et l’attention des élèves des classes C et D Des tests statistiques ont été réalisés afin de vérifier si l’utilisation du Software Éducatif a eu l’impact ou pas dans les classes. Dans ce sens, on a utilisé le test utilisé du Khi-carré afin d’étudier l’indépendance des variables, le test de Friedman afin de comparer les résultats de chaque classe et le test de Kruskal-Wallis pour comparer les résultats du test réalisé par les classes à la fin des six sections. Les questionnaires de littératie personnelle et informatique aux élèves ont servi à la caractérisation des sujets investigués. L’autre questionnaire de littératie personnelle et informatique a servi pour confirmer la faible utilisation que les professeurs font encore de l’ordinateur, soit à la maison, soit à l’école et la volonté qu’ils ont d’utiliser ces instruments de façon à améliorer l’attitude et l’avancement des élèves. Les résultats obtenus, en applicant les tests statistiques, révèlent qu’il y a des différences significatives dans l’avancement des études des élèves et dans les attitudes de ceux-ci, avec l’utilisation du Software Éducatif. L’avancement scolaire des élèves s’est amélioré, ainsi que l’attitude de ceux-ci face à la mathématique. Il faut faire ressortir aussi que les meilleurs et raisonnables élèves préfèrent les cours traditionnels, en étant les autres élèves, ayant moins de capacités, ceux qui ont obtenu des résultats plus significatifs, cela dit, ce sont ceux qui ont obtenu des meilleurs résultats scolaires et qui se sont motivés pour l’apprentissage de cette discipline Abstract - It is undeniable that the New Information Technologies play a role which is becoming more and more relevant in our daily life. To take advantage of such potentialities, more specifically from computers and Educational Software products, we decided to abandon, for a while, traditional teaching techniques and enter the path of the New Technologies, so that these teaching techniques were able to attract more interest and to improve the students’ learning process. The use of Educational Software may stimulate the students’ autonomy, while studying at home and in school. The Educational Software product “Saber Mais Matemática 11º ano", from Porto Editora, was used in two schools, the first a Secondary School, the other a Professional High School, through 6 sessions of 60 minutes each, in the area of Mathematics – 11th and 12th grades, respectively – concerning the “successions" curriculum. The implemented study aimed at investigating the possibility of using Educational Software as a means of enhancing the students’ learning process, by stimulating their interest, commitment and attention. We also focused on trying to discover if there were any significant differences among schools as far as the effects of the chosen programme were concerned. Therefore, four classes were selected to use the Educational Software, all of them with a different set of characteristics: Class A (Secondary School), with 18 subjects; Class B (Secondary School), with 17 subjects; Class C (Professional High School), with 20 subjects; Class D (Professional High School), with 18 subjects. Due to the characteristics of the study and given the fact that classes had already been constituted since the beginning of the school year, and also due to the fact that I was the teacher of Classes C and D, a quasi-experimental type of study was developed. In order to achieve it, several instruments were used so as to gather the needed information: a questionnaire of personal and computer literacy directed at all classes before the 6 sessions; a questionnaire for all Mathematics teachers from both schools; an interview to the students of the Professional High School – Classes C and D -, at the end of the 6 sessions; a formative test at the end of the 6 sessions for all classes; a grid used to gather the students’ marks in the 2nd and 3rd terms, in respect of interest, posture and attention, in relation to Classes C and D. Statistical tests were carried out in order to determine whether the use of Educational Software produced, or not, an impact upon the classes. Thus, the Chi-Squared test was used in order to study the variables’ independency, the Friedman test to compare the results of each Class, and the Kruskal-Wallis to compare the results obtained in the test that was solved by the Classes at the end of the 6 sessions. The questionnaires about personal and computer literacy given to students were used to establish a characterization of the subjects being investigated. The other questionnaire about personal and computer literacy was used to confirm that computers aren’t still that used by teachers, either at home or in school, as well as their availability in respect of using these tools in a way so as to improve the students’ attitudes and marks. The results that have been obtained in statistical tests reveal that there are significant differences in students’ output and attitudes when the Educational Software was used. The school performance of the students was improved, as well as their global attitude towards Mathematics. It should also be highlighted that students with greater, or at least better capacities prefer traditional lessons, while students who weren’t so skilled achieved more significant results, that is, they were the ones who obtained better results in school and became more motivated as far as learning that subject