Papéis do contexto das questões de matemática do ENEM: práticas de numeramento envolvidas na discussão com docentes em formação

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze discursive practices that analyze the relationship of people with knowledge, procedures and mathematical criteria so considered numeracy practices involved in the discussion and resolution by teachers in training of questions of this area of the National High School Exam (ENEM) in the years 2009 to 2012. We seek to understand the ways in which these future teachers relate to these questions, not only from a technical standpoint, focusing domain and mobilization of skills and competencies, but mainly trying to understand the positions taken regarding this exam as marked by social practices experienced by them and the values and tensions that permeate them. To create a condition that would promote such discussions, we conducted seven workshops to solve and discuss the Mathematics questions of the examination, with groups of students from various undergraduate courses in Mathematics, from Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). These students highlighted the style of the ENEM Math questions always contextualized as a shift from the traditionally proposed activities in high school, and discussed intentions, opportunities as well as the challenges of this change. We identified, in the discussions that we took place in workshops, three roles that participants attributed to the context of questions: the role of inducing a new relationship with Middle School Mathematics Teaching; the role of establishing or promoting concern for the development of literacy skills; the role of setting contexts as a tool to assist in resolving questions. Reflection on these roles sought, however, to show the tensions and contradictions which involve such roles, focusing on the variety and mutability of positions taken by undergraduates. In that sense, although we consider positive the impacts that the proposition of contextualized questions in a national exam may cause on teaching Mathematics in Basic Education and on the larger formation of the students as far as reading, evaluating, appreciating and acting in the world, our analysis, based on the reflections of those teachers in training, tell us that there are still many challenges to be faced in the preparation of items for ENEM tests, in construction of this test, in the dissemination and understanding of the intentions of the test and the conquest of the school community, so that changes intended may impact on the improvement of the quality of education for all.