O desenvolvimento do pensamento teórico a partir de significações produzidas em situações desencadeadoras de aprendizagem no ensino de álgebra

Abstract

This research was developed with the aim of analyzing the development of theoretical thinking among 8th-grade students in the final years of elementary school, in learning- triggering situations (SDA) mediated by the teacher and through the use of digital technology in the teaching of algebra. The study was grounded in the assumptions of Historical- Dialectical Materialism (Marx), the Historical-Cultural Theory (Vygotsky), the Activity Theory (Leontiev), and the Theory of Developmental Teaching (Davydov) as its theoretical framework. Subsequently, the logical-historical dimension of algebra was considered in order to identify the conceptual nexuses present in its formation and, finally, the concept of Teaching Guiding Activity (AOE) was defined for the elaboration of the didactic unit. The research is characterized as qualitative and is situated in the school context, aiming to answer the following research question: How do the processes of meaning-making established in learning-triggering situations promote the development of algebraic thinking? To address this question, two specific objectives were proposed: to analyze the potentialities and limitations of the mediation instruments used; and to verify whether the meanings produced by students in learning-triggering situations contribute to the development of algebraic thinking.For data collection, a voice recorder, the researcher-teacher’s field notes, and the records of the tasks performed by the students were used. For data analysis, the method of meaning nuclei was adopted, which consists of three stages: identification of pre-indicators, systematization of indicators, and construction of meaning nuclei. The educational product was designed and applied to an 8th-grade class in a school located in the rural area of the municipality of Baependi-MG, between October 19 and 27, 2022. Through the data analysis, it was possible to observe that, by means of the meanings produced and the mediation carried out, the students were able to develop theoretical thinking.