Abstract

BISPO, Regina; RAMALHO, Glória  and  HENRIQUES, Nuno. Tarefas matemáticas e desenvolvimento do conhecimento matemático no 5.º ano de escolaridade . Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.1, pp.3-14. ISSN 0870-8231.

Mathematical tasks provide the context in which students learn mathematics. Although many factors also determine the learning process, instructional tasks operate as the “proximal causes” of students’ learning from teaching. Their characterization can therefore help to understand the link between teaching and learning mathematics. Different mathematical tasks can be associated with different cognitive processes and so induce different kinds of learning. Cognitive demand and the ability to promote mathematisation are key characteristics of instructional tasks. This study focused on the analysis of mathematical tasks proposed to 5th grade students by their teachers. The instructional tasks were analyzed according to the OECD/PISA framework. Higher cognitive demands appear associated with the Communication and Thinking and Reasoning mathematical competencies. Competencies such as Argumentation, Problem posing and Solving, Modeling and Use of Aids and Tools are worked at a significant lower cognitive level. The mathematical competency less worked was the Use of symbolic, formal and technical language and operations. Data analysis also showed that most of the tasks are included in a reproduction cluster. In conclusion, the analysis showed that in most cases instructional tasks do not have a real-world context and only lead students, predominantly, to select routine procedures and/or apply standard algorithms.

Keywords : Mathematical tasks; mathematical competencies; levels of cognitive demande.

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