Professional development in mathematical modeling scenarios: voices and meanings

This thesis seeks answers to three questions related to meanings attributed by three mathematics teachers in modeling scenarios, privileging their voices (Bajtín, 1999, 2000; Britzman, 2003, Bubnova, 2006) and emphasizing the relationship between experience and meaning (Larrosa; 2006). The questions on which the research is based draw on voices that speak of meanings attributed to the curriculum (Alterman, 2009), ICT (Borba & Villarreal, 2005), and interpersonal relationships.

These voices were brought together in Experiencia 2004, a space for professional development (Ponte, 2001; Bicudo, 2003b; Fiorentini et al., 2005; Passo et al., 2006; Even & Ball, 2009), in which an innovative teaching practice focused on mathematical modeling as a pedagogical approach was put into play (Bassanezi, 2002; Borba & Villarreal, 2005, Villarreal et al. 2010).

Given the nature of the questions raised and the interest in meaning, I have opted for a naturalistic design (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). In particular, I resort to a case study focusing on the problem raised by the three secondary school teachers who implemented modeling scenarios in the classroom (Stake, 1998, Ponte, 2006) during Experience 2004.

The main sources of data for this study come from semi-structured interviews with teachers, email interactions, and documents related to Experience 2004. From the analysis of the teachers' voices, it could be noted that, in modeling scenarios, the curriculum, ICT, and interpersonal relationships constitute a framework in which it is possible to identify the curriculum as situated and as an entity that integrates content, meanings, and voices.

ICTs emerge as responses to new activities, and interactions with them allow for the emergence of new knowledge and other practices. Interpersonal relationships arise as a necessary condition for sustaining the modeling scenario.