Brazilian Mathematics Research Articles

De Malba Tahan a Mello e Souza: a construção de uma identidade (1923-1938)

Abstract This article aims to establish the parallels between the changes that occurred at the end of the 1920s concerning teaching mathematics in Brazil and the fictional production of Júlio Cézar de Mello e Souza (Malba Tahan). The period chosen for analysis is circumscribed between the beginning of the 1920s and the publication of O homem que calculava in 1938. It is assumed that Malba Tahan appears before the writer Mello e Souza, which means an “Arab” writer. The process of identification with the pseudonym was gradual. There were doubts about the authorship at the time of the publication of the first short stories. In 1938, it was already known to everyone that Malba Tahan was the pseudonym of Mello e Souza. Therefore, we intend to work with two aspects. One focuses on how Mello e Souza has positioned himself as a fiction writer. The other consists of his activity as an educator and the reflections in his fictional production, especially in the work O homem que calculava. Both start from the assumption that there was a process of identity construction before the public.

Curriculum Guidelines for Mathematics degree and Gender and Sexuality issues in Brazil

The objective of this article was to analyze the speech acts present in a curricular document currently in force as a guideline for (re)formulations of undergraduate programs in Mathematics in Brazil. The theoretical and methodological framework adopted is based on the Habermasian perspective of Discursive Ethics. In structural terms, we present discussions on the importance of Gender and Sexuality issues amid the contemporary debate on Mathematics Education. In terms of results, we affirm that the rationality by which the guidelines for undergraduate programs in Mathematics are oriented is characterized as instrumental when considering experiences, reflections, and formative practices that permeate the issues of Gender and Sexuality.

Honoring women chemists in Latin America

The American Chemical Society and the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) are seeking nominations for the 2021 Brazilian Women in Chemistry Awards. Now in their fourth edition, the awards, sponsored by C&EN and CAS, a division of ACS, promote gender equality in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Brazil and highlight the impact of diversity on scientific research and in the field of chemistry. The awards seek to honor Brazilian women scientists in three categories: Early Career , which recognizes the achievements of an outstanding young chemical scientist or entrepreneur Leadership in Industry , which recognizes an individual working in chemical industry whose research and creative innovations have led to discoveries that contributed to commercial success and to the good of the community and society Leadership in Academia , which recognizes an established academic who has made an important contribution with a global and societal impact on scientific

Reforms of Mathematics Curriculum Guidelines for Middle Education in Brazil and Paraguay

The construction of the National Common Curricular Base (NCCB) for the area of Mathematics and its High School Technologies in Brazil and the last update of the Mathematics Program for High School in Paraguay are prescribed curriculum documents in force for the teaching of Mathematics in these countries. The construction of each one of them exposed intense political elements and has been a constant target of conflicts and tensions in these countries. The policy cycle approach, established by sociologist Stephen J. Ball and collaborators, has usually been applied by curriculum policy researchers, as well as from other sectors. Therefore, it has been configured in an important methodological bias for the understanding of the documents’ approval processes from the contexts of production and influence, as well as the standards that guided this construction and the ideological constraints that emanate from the involvement of multilateral organisms. In order to achieve this objective, this article presents a comparative analysis of documents in specific circumstances during the processes of the recent reforms of the prescribed documents for mathematical learning in Brazil and Paraguay. It starts from the methodological phases of Comparative Education, summarized by Pilz (2012), by which it reflected on the vertical models and the reductionism and emptying of the area, as well as the contents as instruments of management and performance to meet the varied demands of the globalized world. The theoretical hybridization carried out in the study also pointed to a greater number of specific competences prescribed for the teaching of Mathematics in Brazil, and in Paraguay, a curriculum that prioritizes more functional Mathematics.

A note from the SBMAC

Trends in Computational and Applied Mathematics is a new journal published by the Brazilian Society for Computational and Applied Mathematics (SBMAC). SBMAC was established in 1978 as a scientific organization aimed at developing and promoting Computational and Applied Mathematics in Brazil. It is a leading environment for researchers, professionals and students working in Applied Mathematics and related fields. Currently, SBMAC has over 300 members and it organizes the largest scientific event in t his field in Latin America, the National Congress of Computational and Applied Mathematics (CNMAC), an annual congress that attracts around 700 attendees. Furthermore, SBMAC organizes regional events and co sponsors many other events in Brazil. In 1999, SBMAC created the journal Tendências em Matemática Aplicada e Computacional (TEMA), which was originally devoted to papers presented at CNMAC and to the dissemination of Applied Mathematics in Portuguese. With the publication of 21 volumes, the jornal has grown and has become a leading Brazilian journal in the field. In the past few years, the great increase in the number of submissions in English, by Brazilian and foreigner researchers alike, shows that TEMA has attracted an international audience and is recognized as an important publication in Computational and Applied Mathematics. The new journal, Trends in Computational and Applied Mathematics, marks the rebirth of TEMA as a truly international journal, yet one that preserves its history and the high profile that it has achieved. Our goals are to publish original research, theoretical developments and case studies on promising themes; to offer an interdisciplinary and reliable international forum; to provide an efficient peer review system, leading to a fast response time to the first decision. For forthcoming issues of TCAM, we invite researchers in Applied Mathematics and related fields to submit papers with innovative and/or relevant contributions to Computational and Applied Mathematics. We hope you enjoy reading the first issue of the new TCAM. We are looking forward to receiving your future contributions, as well as any comments and suggestions you may have. We will try our best to adjust to the expectations of our readership.

Desenho Universal para Aprendizagem e Tecnologias Digitais na Educação Matemática Inclusiva

Este estudo verifica indícios do Desenho Universal para Aprendizagem (DUA) presentes no uso de Tecnologias Digitais (TDs) na Educação Matemática Inclusiva. Para tanto, são analisadas pesquisas publicadas em duas edições do Encontro Nacional de Educação Matemática: 2016 e 2019; evento que congrega maior número de pesquisadores e professores da área de Matemática no Brasil. Ao analisar os trabalhos publicados em tal evento, busca-se responder aos seguintes questionamentos: Como as TDs estão sendo utilizadas na Educação Matemática Inclusiva? É possível verificar a perspectiva do DUA ao utilizar as TDs na Educação Matemática Inclusiva? Com a metodologia adotada, de abordagem qualitativa, do tipo bibliográfica, emergem quatro temáticas: uso de tecnologias analógica e digital; uso de softwares e/ou aplicativos; uso de Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem; e uso de videoaula e vídeos instrutivos. Pelas análises é possível concluir que a inclusão escolar está em processo, envolvendo pesquisadores e professores no desenvolvimento de tecnologias digitais ou analógicas. Ainda, as análises revelam que é tímida a presença do DUA na Educação Matemática Inclusiva.

Textbooks as Historical References in Teaching Geometry in Brazil Between 1925-2010

This paper makes a historical overview about how mathematics textbooks influenced geometry’s teaching in Brazil. Initially the study shows the relevance textbooks have as historical reference for a school discipline. Next, it describes how textbooks tend to transmit the same content in each historical period, a phenomenon Chervel called vulgata. From that point a timeline is created, since the first Brazilian mathematics textbook in 1744 until 2010, to understand how those volumes influenced geometry teaching. Four volumes, ranging from 1925 to 2010, are then analyzed. The focal point of this analysis is how triangles similarity is taught in each one of them. The paper also describes how government policies affected textbooks and school life in general since the beginning of mathematics teaching in Brazil.

Dispersion measures for h-index: a study of the Brazilian researchers in the field of mathematics

Although the h-index is considered a significant indicator to evaluate the researchers' performance, as it simultaneously measures aspects related to their scientific productivity and citation impact, several studies have pointed out its deficiencies and limitations. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the contribution of dci and dco indicators, two Hirsch-type indices, to measure the reasonableness of the h-index as a representation of the researcher’s scientific performance. The universe of analysis consisted of 116 Brazilian mathematicians holding CNPq grants. For each researcher, the number of articles, the number of citations per article and the year of publication were collected in the Scopus database. Then, for each researcher, the h-index and dci and dco indices were calculated. The dci and dco indicators allowed selective and productive researchers to be to distinguished more accurately. In addition, they contributed to estimate the possibility of the researcher to increase his/her h-index. The study concludes that the dci and dco indices were able to reliably measure the distribution dispersion of the researchers' citation impact together with their h-index. Consequently, they managed to estimate the representativeness of h-index as an indicator of the researchers' scientific performance in the field of mathematics in Brazil.

Teaching Fractions in the Primary Education: A Cross-Sectional Study with Brazilian Polyvalents Teachers

Math Education in Brazil has undergone important changes in the last two decades. Among these, we can highlight those that refer to methods and ways of developing the pedagogical work of Mathematics with children aged 6 to 9 years. Until the end of the 20th century, Brazilian Mathematics Education was directed towards a more technicist teaching, focusing on the development of operational contents and without much meaning for students. With some political changes and the growing need for internal investments, Brazil starts to operate within the international standards established by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, which establish as a priority for the granting of loans, the increase of educational levels, and the eradication of illiteracy. In view of this scenario, and allied to the evolution of curricular discussions, Brazilian basic education, mainly in the primary (6 to 10 years), started to incorporate more and important elements related to the teaching methodologies of Mathematics in its discussions, which knowledge teacher occupies the central point. In this sense, the present paper seeks to understand how polyvalent teachers, pedagogues who work in the teaching of Mathematics in the early years, teach the content of fractions and what the essential aspects regarding the methods chosen for this purpose are. Therefore, the research information sources were obtained in a continuing education course with teachers working in public education systems. Such sources were characterized by records of responses to a problem-situation. Data were obtained from the ipsis litteris transcription of these responses, followed by the Content Analysis (CA), assuming the registration units as the initial parameter. As a result, the research evidenced three categories in which the contents discussed by the professors are classified: technicist, undifferentiated method and non-technicist. In addition, the study evidenced the difficulties of teachers in the focus group in differentiating methods from concepts, thus assuming different meanings for the fractions.

Comparative study on current recommendations on technologies for the Teaching of Mathematics in Brazil and Portugal

Background: The general guidelines of the prescribed Mathematics curricula in force in Brazil and Portugal emphasise the use of digital technologies for Mathematics Education to meet the demands of the globalised world. Objectives: To analyse perspectives expressed in the documents and speeches that circulated in the reform processes of the curricular guidelines. Design: Comparative research for the analysis of recent reforms concerning the recommendations on the use of technologies. Setting and participants: Literature review and documentary analysis of the curriculum guidelines in Brazil for the final years of elementary school in Brazil and for the last year of the 2nd cycle and the entire 3rd cycle in Portugal. Data collection and analysis: Qualitative documentary analysis, the categories of analysis emerged from the literature review and trends that are under discussion and will compose the reference framework of the Mathematics Project 2030. Results: In the Digital Literacy category, we observed an emphasis on digital applications aiming at changing the framework, representation and unclear communication of the real objectives; and in the Computational Thinking category, we observed a focus on building algorithms in a limited and very specific way and using language, aiming at the development of mathematical logical thinking in structuring digital applications, in formulating and solving problems. Conclusions: The study raised the need to discuss issues related to the clear definition of objectives, the emphasis on the adoption of software primarily for illustration, limits on the connection between computational thinking and algebraic language, and the focus on rigour in the development of skills for control and management.

Engenharia Didática (ED): análises preliminares e a priori para a equação diferencial de Claireaut

O estudo da teoria das equações diferenciais ordinárias está presente em vários cursos de graduação em Matemática no Brasil. A despeito do interesse desenvolvido pelos didatas franceses atentos ao seu ensino e aprendizagem, consta-se que muitos dos entraves registrados ainda consubstanciam uma situação que torna indefectível uma abordagem ortodoxa no “lócus” acadêmico. Diante dessa problemática, este trabalho apresenta, descreve e postula, do ponto de vista conceitual e teórico, elementos aplicáveis e reprodutíveis para o ensino da equação de Claireaut. Nele se discute as análises preliminares e “a priori”, previstas pela Engenharia Didática. O modelo de Claireaut é interessante por possibilitar a utilização do software GeoGebra para explorar propriedades qualitativas das soluções com ênfase na visualização.

ELIZA MARIA FERREIRA VERAS DA SILVA

Eliza Maria was a pioneer in Mathematics in Brazil, being the first female professor at the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) to have a doctorate. She was also the black woman in Brazil with the oldest doctoral degree in mathematics.  

A análise das diretrizes educacionais e o ensino da matemática

Este artigo apresenta uma discussão em torno das leis e diretrizes educacionais e o ensino da matemática no Brasil. Tem como objetivo destacar a relevância dos documentos oficiais que regem a educação brasileira, evidenciando a forma como abordam a relação da matemática com o cotidiano, além de salientar a sua dimensão histórica e sua conexão com o cotidiano. Para tanto, parte-se de um panorama do contexto histórico em que surge a educação sistematizada no país, o que nos remonta ao processo de colonização. Em seguida, discutimos algumas leis e diretrizes educacionais e suas relações com o ensino da matemática: Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional, Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais e Base Nacional Comum Curricular. Ancorado metodologicamente em uma abordagem bibliográfica, de natureza qualitativa, o estudo apresenta como resultados a importância de professores e demais profissionais da educação compreenderem esses documentos educacionais, com o intuito de efetivarem as políticas propostas, dimensão essa que exige uma ressignificação do ensino, no caso em questão, da matemática.

Nominations sought for Brazilian Women in Chemistry awards

The American Chemical Society and the Brazilian Chemical Society seek nominations for the 2020 Brazilian Women in Chemistry and Related Sciences awards. Now in their third year, the awards, sponsored by C&EN and CAS, a division of ACS, promote gender equality in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Brazil, and highlight the impact of diversity on scientific research and in the field of chemistry. The Early Career award recognizes the achievements of an outstanding young chemical scientist or entrepreneur. This exceptional scientist will be younger than 40 years old and no more than 10 years removed from earning a PhD. The Leadership in Industry award recognizes an individual working in chemical industry whose research and creative innovations have led to discoveries that contributed to commercial success and to the good of the community and society. The Leadership in Academia award recognizes an established academic who has made

Historical Mathematical Study About Vector Calculus Introduction in Brazil: First Notes

Mathematical History, mainly the History of Mathematics in Brazil has substantiated the proposition addressed in the present study, namely: conducting a historical-mathematical investigation about Vector Calculus introduction in Brazil. A brief historical contextualization about Vector Calculus emergence and development, as well as about the important features of it and their contributions to the formalization and adoption of the globally valid system is herein performed. This subject was firstly introduced in Brazil by Professor Theodoro Augusto Ramos (1895-1935) as a discipline in the Engineering courses at Polytechnic School of Sao Paulo, back in 1926. This theme opened room for two publications, one of them was written in Portuguese (1927) and the second one was written in French (1930) and published by a renown French publisher at the time. Back in the 1920s and 30s, this theme was a novelty in Brazil; however, other publications about the same subject have emerged around the country − this finding evidenced Brazilian researchers’ interest in it. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to contribute to fulfill the remaining gaps in the history of mathematics in Brazil.

Programas de mestrado em Matemática no Brasil

O trabalho aborda redes dos títulos das dissertações de mestrados em matemática, no Brasil. A análise usa redes semânticas de títulos (RST) para caracterizar qualitativa e quantitativamente as redes. Foram selecionados 41 cursos de mestrado e construídas as RST usando-se a abordagem de redes por cliques, na qual as palavras dos títulos são mutuamente conectadas. Foi aplicado o método Louvain (algoritmo) para detectar as comunidades de palavras. As redes foram caracterizadas e agrupadas por região geográfica, o que levou a inferir distinções entre regiões com base em regularidade ou não dos grupos de palavras.

Desenhando o campo da matemática: Aplicação dos conceitos de Pierre Bourdieu na educação matemática

A partir da teoria sociológica de Pierre Bourdieu e das pesquisas em Educação Matemática apresentamos, nesse artigo, uma interpretação da Matemática enquanto campo: com suas leis, agentes, capitais, disputas, gostos e distinções. Nosso objetivo foi desenhar o campo da matemática, a partir da análise de um Programa de mestrado profissional em matemática em rede nacional (Profmat). Esse programa foi idealizado e implantado pela Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática e pelo Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada, instituições que, reconhecidas por desenvolver pesquisa de alto nível em matemática, não são reconhecidas no âmbito das pesquisas em formação de professores. A investigação sociológica, realizada mediante a elaboração da noção de campo, permitiu uma compreensão do Profmat como uma estratégia de valorização de uma prática Matemática e uma compreensão da Matemática enquanto um espaço hierarquizado de agentes em disputa pelo direito de definir o que é matemática e quem tem distinção suficiente para defini-la.

ASSESSMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT: In this study, we aimed to gain further knowledge about Brazilian primary school teachers' assessment practices and beliefs in mathematics education. For this, we carried out an analysis of curriculum documents and reviewed recent research literature on assessment in Brazil, permitting us to answer the following research question: How are the mathematics assessment practices and teachers' beliefs, as revealed in recent research, and how are these related to the conceptualization of assessment in Brazilian mathematics curriculum documents? We found that teachers' assessment practices, as described in the reviewed research between 2010 and 2017, did, in general, not reflect the conceptualization of assessment in the curriculum documents. Furthermore, despite that the beliefs of most teachers on assessment reflected it to be a process to improve teaching and learning, their mathematics assessment practices did not favor assessment for learning. Still, they were mostly used as an instrument to determine students' classification. We recommend a public policy in which teachers are offered opportunities for professional development, focusing on formative assessment in mathematics education.

Formação de professores e programas de ensino de Matemática nos institutos normais de educação: uma análise da Escola Primária da Bahia (1836-1960)

Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo uma análise histórica dos cursos de formação de professores e dos programas de ensino de Matemática para a escola primária na Bahia entre 1836 (ano da instituição da primeira escola normal do Estado) e 1960 (década demarcada pelo Movimento da Matemática Moderna), levando-se em conta as reformas educacionais estaduais de 1890, 1913, 1918 e 1925 e as determinações para estrutura e funcionamento do Ensino Primário e dos Institutos Normais de Educação. As fontes históricas documentais, em especial as alocadas junto ao Repositório da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), são parte do constructo investigativo: Quais as permanências e rupturas referentes aos cursos de formação de professores e aos programas de ensino de Matemática pautadas na legislação educacional e nas práticas pedagógicas das escolas normais e da escola primária da Bahia entre 1836 e 1960? Os resultados da pesquisa elaboram uma trajetória da escola normal, bem como do ensino de Matemática no Brasil, em particular, na Bahia, séculos XIX e XX.

C&EN and CAS honor women scientists in Brazil

Three women scientists in Brazil have been recognized with the 2019 C&EN/CAS Awards for Brazilian Women in Chemistry and Related Sciences. The awards aim to promote gender equality in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Brazil, as well as to develop a more advanced perspective in understanding the impact of diversity on scientific research and the field of chemistry. The awards are sponsored by CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society, and Chemical & Engineering News, with support from the Brazilian Chemical Society and ACS. The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) hosted the awards. Each winner receives a $2,000 cash award, a SciFinder ID valid for 3 years, free ACS membership for 3 years, and an award certificate. The award ceremony took place in Sao Paulo Oct. 16. “This award recognizes the contribution of women to the chemical sciences in Brazil. Brazil is a powerhouse of