THE INSTITUTIONAL DIDACTIC PHENOMENON OF RIGIDITY AND THE ATOMIZATION OF SCHOOL MATHEMATICS ORGANIZATIONS

In this research, we studied a complex didactic phenomenon manifested on the disconnection of mathematical contents that constitute the official program of secondary education and that relates strongly to the rigidity and atomization of school mathematics. For this study, we used the theoretical and methodological tools that the Anthropological Theory of Didactic (ATD) provides us, which primary object of research is the analysis of the institutional school mathematics activity. Thus, we carry out exploratory studies in mathematics textbooks in Portugal and Spain secondary education, contrasting and proving five conjectures related, for example, with the absence of questioning and justification of the used techniques. We conclude that in these countries, the mathematical praxeologies are often disjointed, rigid and, consequently, there are isolated activities of mathematical modelling in educational institutions.

Mathematical organization; Secondary education; Anthropological Theory of Didactic (ATD)