Atividades experimentais investigativas em contexto de aulas com modelagem matemática: uma análise semiótica

Abstract

One of the greatest transformations of Mathematics Education in the last decades refers to the promotion of interaction between mathematical knowledge and its contextualization with other areas of knowledge. In this scenario, Mathematical Modelling arises as an alternative for teachers and students to mobilize the knowledge built throughout math classes through its association with non-essentially mathematical situations. In this regard, the present research aimed to investigate “How experimental investigative activities developed in a context of classes with Mathematical Modelling contributes to assignment of significance to mathematical objects by students of the final years of elementary school?” Therefore, we look at the theoretical assumptions of Mathematical Modelling, investigative experimentation and Peircean Semiotics. To this effect, we present the description and analysis of three mathematical modelling tasks developed with 15 students of the 9th grade of elementary school, from a school located in the city of São Sebastião da Amoreira, in which the researcher acts as a Math teacher. The analyzed activities were chosen to contemplate each one of the three moments of familiarization between the student and the Mathematical Modelling, as presented by Almeida, Silva and Vertuan (2012). From observation, description and analysis of each activity, we sought evidences of assignment of significance to mathematical objects that emerges from those activities, based on analysis of interpretant signs produced by mobilizing different semiotic resources throughout the stages of the activity. Our methodological option is based in considerations of a qualitative research and the data analysis is inspired by Content Analysis, according to Laurence Bardin. From the undertaken analysis, we evidenced that, when associating experimental investigative activities with the modelling cycle, the semiotic resources used contribute to the assignment of significance for mathematical objects, according to five evidences: the familiarity with the object, an intent to significate the object, as an idea that refers to the object, as a consequence to cover the object and by collateral experience with the object. As for the educational product, which has come out of this research, we proposed a material that can support teachers of the final years of elementary school aimed at developing experimental investigative activities in context of Math classes, according to the premise of Mathematical Modelling.