THE MULTIPLICATIONAL CONCEPTUAL FIELD: A LEARNING PROPOSAL IN THE LIGHT OF THE THEORY OF DIDACTIC SITUATIONS IN THE 8TH YEAR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Abstract

This article is an excerpt from a master's dissertation that investigates the effects of the teaching approach based on the Theory of Didactic Situations on the performance of students in the Final Years of Elementary School in solving problem situations related to the Multiplicative Conceptual Field. As a theoretical basis, Vergnaud's Theory of Conceptual Fields (1990, 2009) and Brousseau's Theory of Didactic Situations (1996, 2008) were used. The main objective is to analyze the effects of this teaching approach on the performance of students in the Final Years of Elementary School in solving problem situations of the Multiplicative Conceptual Field. This study adopts a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, with the design of a case study. The research was carried out at the Federal University of Amazonas, within the project called Escola de Matemática Básica. Twelve students from the 8th grade of Elementary School participated in the research. The results indicate a significant improvement in students' ability to understand and apply multiplicative concepts in problem situations involving the Multiplicative Conceptual Field, suggesting that the integration of the Theory of Didactic Situations and the Theory of Conceptual Fields facilitates deeper and more engaged mathematical learning. It is concluded that the pedagogical approach that incorporates these theories not only contributes to overcoming conceptual difficulties in mathematics, but also promotes more potentially meaningful and lasting learning.