Designing and analysing a teaching proposal about linear algebra through the dialogue of two theories

Abstract

In this paper we propose a new strategy of dialogue between theories, considering a semiotic cognitive analysis and a praxeological analysis. We examine the implementation of a teaching and learning sequence for introducing eigentheory in a linear algebra course taught during the first year of an engineering degree programme. Initially, the semiotic cognitive analysis based on the Action, Production and Communication space (APC) approach is used in the preliminary, a priori and in vivo phases of the didactic engineering process to propose a teaching strategy that incorporates a variety of semiotic resources. In a second moment, the praxeological analysis intervenes to reformulate the preliminary analysis and to progress on the consideration of a reference epistemological model about eigentheory in a first course of mathematics for engineers. This model is then used in the a priori and a posteriori analysis to integrate the semiotic and epistemological dimensions in the design and implementation of the teaching proposal. The results show the productivity of this new networking strategy and the complementarity of connecting the semiotic with the epistemological analysis.