The present work has the purpose of showing the evolution of topics or mathematical concepts that are both relevant and with marked grades of abstraction. In this report is specifically described the utilization of metacognitive tools. These include concept maps, the Gowin heuristic vee, and the clinical interview. They are efficient in showing which concepts students of engineering at Comahue University have mastered. The students had approved the corresponding course. The clinical interview, the conceptual maps, and the application of the UVE permit students to make an autoanalysis of their knowledge about the topic. Also, it permits the professors a critical reflection of how students are achieving their objectives, the causes of that, and the change that they should carry out in order to achieve meaningful learning of such a substantial topic. (Contains 32 references.) (Author/YDS)