Learning mathematics by investigating

• Autor(a) principal: Rocha, Alexandra
• Data de Publicação: 2006
• Outros Autores: Ponte, João Pedro da
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Zetetiké (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br/ojs/index.php/zetetike/article/view/8647004
• topic: Mathematical investigations; Attitudes; Learning; Conceptions of students; Investigações matemáticas; Aprendizagem; Atitudes; Concepções dos alunos

This study aims to verify the effects of carrying out a set ofmathematical investigations in grade 7 students. In special, it seeks to know ifstudents show the development of new mathematical knowledge and abilitiesand new conceptions and attitudes regarding mathematics and mathematicslearning. It is a de qualitative-interpretative study about professional practice,based in two case studies of students of different achievement level. Data wascollected by participant observation, interviews, questionnaires and documentsproduced by students. The results show that carrying out mathematicalinvestigations is a new situation for students that show to understand in aprogressive way their role on this kind of task. Even though both students do insome moments reasoning that constitute true mathematical proofs, none ofthem comes to a clear understanding of the need of proving. In carrying out theproposed tasks both use their previous mathematical knowledge and show thatthey learned several concepts. Furthermore, both show they appreciate this kindof task that they feel favours their learning. Without giving up many of theirtraces of their vision of mathematics, they come to it in a more dynamical way eto see themselves in a more active role in exploring mathematical situations. Thestudy shows the need for more continued and deeper experiences, using agreater diversity of tasks, to promote deeper leaning and change of conceptionsstudents.