Teaching and learning mathematics through problem solving

an analysis of problem selection in Brazilian dissertations

Abstract

This study aimed to identify and analyze the aspects considered in the selection of problems that support the development of pedagogical practices in High School based on Problem Solving. The research is characterized as a bibliographic study with a qualitative approach, using as its corpus nine works selected from the CAPES Theses and Dissertations Catalog. The data were analyzed through qualitative meta-synthesis, seeking to identify aspects related to the selection of mathematical problems adopted as a starting point for the development of teaching practices. The results revealed that problem selection is associated with three main aspects: finding real-life situations/themes; involving more than one strategy for solving the situation; and using/relating students’ prior knowledge to the new content to be taught. It is concluded that problem selection constitutes a central action in Problem Solving, guiding the design of proposals that promote student engagement, the construction of meaning for mathematical concepts, and the development of autonomy in learning.