DIFFICULTIES OF PRACTICING TEACHERS IN THE USE OF THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DIDACTIC TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS

Abstract

The study was conducted under the Program as a partial requirement to obtain a master's degree in Mathematics Teaching in 2010 teaching at the Pedagogical University of Mozambique, and developed from a qualitative research methodology using semi -and a structured questionnaire survey and is based on five in-service teachers who were to attend the 4th year of the degree in Mathematics Education at the Pedagogical University of Quelimane, Mozambique. All respondents were already teachers and taught during the morning in the schools of the city of Quelimane. The study objective was to investigate whether the practical instruction a teacher uses the history of mathematics and not use, identifying the factors that contribute. Four categories were organized to facilitate data analysis. The data analysis revealed that respondents do not use the history of Mathematics in Mathematics education for three reasons: first, because during their training in the Bachelor had no concrete activities that could serve as examples in class. Second, point out the lack of content area of ​​the History of Mathematics. Finally, the inadequacy of historical facts that appear in some textbooks and mathematics Programs, ie, does not bring anything special that can help the teacher or students. The results of this study also indicate a lack of teacher training and the absence of specific educational material on the history of Mathematics.