Curricular contextualization in learning Mathematics: what importance and meaning?
Author(s):
Maria de Fátima Duarte Delgado (presenting / submitting) Carlinda Leite (presenting) Preciosa Fernandes
Conference:
ECER 2014
Network:
03. Curriculum Innovation
Format:
Paper (Copy for Joint Session)

Session Information

03 SES 10 JS, Issues of Achievement and Curriculum in Mathematics Education

Paper Session, Joint Session NW 3 and NW 24

Time:
2014-09-04
15:30-17:00
Room:
B113 Sala de Aulas
Chair:
Ole Kristian Bergem

Contribution

Several Mathematics education researchers have stressed the importance of transforming teaching methods, encouraging the use of methods that promote the involvement of the pupils in the learning process (Ponte, Matos & Abrantes, 1998; NCTM, 1994, 2007). Some studies have shown that the knowledge that teachers have of how pupils learn the content of Mathematics has a positive effect on curricular development (Ponte et al., 1998; Ponte & Quaresma, 2012). They argue, therefore, that "it is not enough to listen to an explanation to understand a concept. It is essential that this concept acquires significance, and that only happens when the concept is associated to the previous experience of an individual" (Ponte et al., 1998, p. 323). The idea that a student learns Mathematics through the explanation of the concepts, by teachers presenting examples and the practice of applying them in various exercises, using the same concepts, is a perspective that has come to be questioned by researchers into Mathematics education. That is why the importance of the pupils’ involvement in the learning process and the relationship of the syllabus to its context in their lives, has come to be supported.

Assuming that curricular contextualization helps pupils to improve their learning, due to the fact that it helps them relate what is taught to their daily lives, it is relevant to study the way in which this is presented in Mathematics.

The proposals that point in the direction of contextualization consider that this is a procedure that could help all pupils reach higher levels of learning (Bergamaschi, 2007; Gillespie 2002; Smith, 2005; Leite, Fernandes, Mouraz, Morgado, Esteves, Rodrigues, Costa e Figueiredo, 2011; Nascimento, 2010; Morgado, Fernandes e Mouraz, 2011; Stemn 2010). This belief includes an underlying principle that if education is based on the interests, knowledge and real life experiences of the pupils, it makes for better learning.

A review of the literature on this concept allowed us to identify that curricular contextualization has concretized around the following foci: a) The place/context, that is, procedures that keep in mind cultural traits, life habits and the customs and everyday knowledge of the local community and that, for this reason, corresponds to an "education based on place" (Smith, 2005); b) The subject/pupil, which corresponds to procedures that start from the belief that the contextualization of knowledge implies attending to the pupils’ interests, rhythms and learning styles, cultures, difficulties and successes (Leite & Fernandes, 2002); c) The syllabus, in other words, procedures where the subjects are the main reference for the process of the contextualization of knowledge; d) The pedagogical practices which have as their foundation the idea of the importance of differentiated curricular processes being developed (Fernandes et al., 2011; Mouraz et al., 2012; Fernandes, Leite et al., 2012).

It is in the context of these ideas that the communication which is proposed here presents a small part of a more ample study which was done with the objective of producing knowledge about the place of curricular contextualization in Mathematics, in the 7th to 9th year of school. To do this, from an empirical point of view, the opinions of the pupils that allow us to characterize the importance and the meaning that pupils of the 7th to 9th years attribute to curricular contextualization in learning Mathematics are resorted to.

Method

To accomplish the previously stated goal, the study followed an interpretative, qualitative methodology (Bogdan & Biklen, 1994), resorting to focus groups (Morgan, 1997) as a technique of gathering information. According to Morgan (1997), the focus group is basically a group interview although it is not based on the alternation interview model – researcher question and subject answer. In this technique, the researcher simply assumes the role of moderator who tries to engage the participants in a discussion of one or more topics. To this author one of the advantages of focus groups is the “explicit use of group interaction to produce in depth data and knowledge that would be less accessible without the interaction found in a group” (ibidem: 2). In the same perspective, we consider that this technique, by enabling a discussion between various subjects, stimulates new interactions and activities and the sharing of different experiences and emotions. Having these ideas as a reference, the focus group was resorted to to gather the opinions of 7th to 9th year pupils, from a school in the North of Portugal, about the meaning and effects they attribute to curricular contextualization in the learning of Mathematics. Three focus groups were formed, complying with the rules indicated for those involved: one with 12 pupils of the 7th year; another with 10 pupils of the 8th year; and a third with 12 pupils of the 9th. At the beginning of every focus group, all the pupils were informed of the intended goals and were guaranteed confidentiality of all the information gathered. All the focus groups took place in a classroom in the participants’ school and was recorded, with previous permission, and fully transcribed by the researcher. The focus groups took place at the end of the third term of the school year of 2012-2013. The discourses produced by these pupils were analyzed using the content analysis technique (Bardin, 2008; Krippendorf 2003).

Expected Outcomes

The results of this study, among other things, indicate the fact that pupils refer to practices of curricular contextualization as practices which favour the learning of Mathematics. Generally, and in the eyes of the pupils who were involved in the study, curricular contextualization practices contribute to better learning, because they facilitate the comprehension of the syllabus. In particular, regarding the practices of curricular contextualization that have as a reference the location/context, they consider that these contribute to remembering the content, help them to understand the use of Mathematics, make the content more interesting and promote motivation for learning. In terms of curricular contextualization practices that have as a reference the subject/pupil, the results indicate that they promote motivation for learning, make the content more interesting and respect the pupils’ rhythm of learning. Respect for the pupils’ rhythm of learning is also present when we refer to curricular contextualization practices taking into account pedagogical practices. Relative to the curricular contextualization practices based on the syllabus, the pupils consider that they contribute to remembering the content which facilitates the learning of new content.

References

Bardin, L. (2008). Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70, Lda. Bergamaschi, M. (2007). Educação escolar indígena: um modo próprio de recriar a escola nas aldeias Guarani. Cadernos Cedes, 27(72), pp. 197-213. Bogdan, R. & Biklen, S. (1994). Investigação qualitativa em educação. Porto: Porto Editora. Fernandes, P., Leite, C., Mouraz, A. & Figueiredo, C. (2011). Sentidos atribuídos ao conceito de "contextualização curricular". In A. Lozano et al., Libro de actas do XI congreso internacional galego-portugués de psicopedagoxía, (pp.581-592). Fernandes, P., Leite, C., Mouraz, A. & Figueiredo, C. (2012). Curricular Contextualization: Tracking the Meanings of a Concept. Submetido à revista The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (TAPER). Gillespie, M. K. (2002). EFF Research Principle: A contextualized approach to curriculum and instruction. EFF Research to Practice Note 3, pp. 2-8. Krippendorf, K. (2003). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Beverly Hills: Sage. Leite, C. e Fernandes, P. (2002). Avaliação das aprendizagens dos alunos: novos contextos, novas práticas. Porto: Edições ASA. Leite, C., Fernandes, P., Mouraz, A., Morgado, J. C., Esteves, M. M., Rodrigues, M. Costa, N., Figueiredo, C. (2011). Contextualizar o saber para a melhoria dos resultados dos alunos. In Atas do XI Congresso da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências da Educação, vol. 2, Guarda. Morgado, J. C., Fernandes, P., Mouraz, A. (2011). Contextualizar o currículo para melhorar a aprendizagem dos alunos. In C. S. Reis, F. S. Neves, Atas do XI Congresso da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências da Educação, Vol. 3, pp.155-161, Guarda. Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research, Vol. 16. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. Mouraz, A., Fernandes, P. & Morgado, J. C. (2012). Contextualisation curriculaire: des discours aux pratiques, La Recherche en Éducation, 7, 31-44. NCTM (1994). Normas profissionais para o ensino da Matemática. Lisboa: Associação de Professores de Matemática/Instituto de Inovação Educacional. NCTM (2007). Princípios e normas para a matemática escolar. Lisboa: Associação de Professores de Matemática. Nascimento (2010). Currículo, diferenças e identidades: tendências da escola indígena Guarani e Kaiowá. Currículo Sem Fronteiras, 10(1), pp. 113-132. Ponte, J., Matos, J. & Abrantes, P. (1998). Investigação em Educação Matemática: Implicações curriculares. Lisboa: Instituto de Inovação Educacional. Ponte, J. P. & Quaresma, M. (2012). O papel do contexto nas tarefas matemáticas. Interações, 22, pp. 196-216. Smith, G.A. (2005). Place-Based Education: learning to be where we are. Clearing, nº 118, pp. 6-43. Stemn, B.S. (2010). Teaching Mathematics with “cultural eyes”. In Race, Gender & Class, 17(1/2), pp. 154-162.

Author Information

Maria de Fátima Duarte Delgado (presenting / submitting)
Fac. Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Carlinda Leite (presenting)
Fac. Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Preciosa Fernandes
Fac. Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, Portugal

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