Discussing combinatorics in a process of continuing education with early grade teachers

Abstract:

The study aims to analyze the effect of continuing education based on situations, invariants and symbolic representations of combinatorial problems. This research is composed of initial individual interviews, four formation meetings and a final interview, also individual, with the participant teachers. In this article, we analyze the development of a teacher taking part in the process. The results indicate a difficulty in the recognition and in the approach of combinatorics during the initial interview; however, after the interventions, there is a more detailed recognition of different situations and their invariants, as well as of representations. It is clear; therefore, that continuing education in combinatorics may constitute an important action because it stimulates teachers to reflect about this content, which can be used from initial grades on.

Keywords:
combinatorics; continuing education; early primary grades; teachers