Problem Solving in initial training: understandings of the future mathematics teacher

Abstract

In this article, we describe a research carried out from the application of a questionnaire with 15 questions to a group of 17 undergraduate students in Mathematics of the Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais (IFMG), campus São João Evangelista, enrolled in the discipline Problem Solving, from the Practices as a Curriculum Component (PCC). Our goal was to survey your individual understandings about the potential for methodological innovation in the teaching-learning-assessment of Mathematics through solving problem. It is a qualitative research, whose data analysis was performed based on the assumptions of Textual Discursive Analysis (ATD). The theoretical references went through Problem Solving, as a teaching methodology, and by the Mathematics Teacher Knowledges approach. The future teachers realized the skills that can be developed by Problem Solving, as an action and methodology. Thus, it was evident that the methodological innovation in the teaching of Mathematics happens when the perspective of Problem Solving is adopted.

Keywords

• problem solving
• mathematics teacher training
• mathematics teacher knowledge