Competences of mathematical notions in schoolchildren. Case of rural areas

Abstract

Research work on teaching and learning situations of mathematics content; they correspond, for most of the cases, to studies in urban contexts of developed countries. The objective of this article was to characterize the competences on the notion of mathematical variable of schoolchildren in rural areas of developing countries. It was based on the contributions of Jaramillo, Obando and Quiceno (2018); Vanegas and Escalona (2013); Filloy, Puig and Rojano (2008); and other authors. To identify the competencies, a documentary investigation was designed. Starting with a review of the theories, about the phenomenon; to later build a theoretical model with the purpose of explaining the relationships between cognitive processes on the notion of mathematical variable in schoolchildren in rural areas. The model shows the competences of the notion of mathematical variable through problem solving and representations in a rural social environment. Finally, the variables and categories of the competences for the mentioned context were determined, organized, located and reduced to the context during which the class activities were observed. The findings on the cognitive processes of the notion of mathematical variable show how they are or how the conceptual and procedural structures are being formed. This model allowed to obtain: observations close to reality, class reports, student work, among others.