Trends in Brazilian academic production in the History of Mathematics Education: directions from EBRAPEM

The number of papers on History of Mathematics Education presented at EBRAPEM (Brazilian Meeting of Graduate Students in Mathematics Education) has increased significantly between 2003 and 2008. This article presents a study with the aim of identifying themes, periods in focus, and sources and theoretical and methodological references used by the authors of the papers on History of Mathematics Education published in the proceedings of VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII EBRAPEM. The study indicates that the approach of ongoing research in History of Mathematics Education in Brazil has been similar to the approach of research in History of Education in general. However, the institutional separation between these two areas of investigation is noted as a factor rendering communication between both groups of researchers difficult.

The USAID and the teaching of mathematics in Rio Grande do Norte

In the 1960s occurred great changes in the general education and, specially in the mathematical teaching, throughout Brazil. Besides the Law Diretrizes e Bases for Education (law 4024/1961), such changes also was occurred by opposite educational movements. In one side, those ones that valorized the popular education and culture and, for the other side, the international agreements between universities and government organs, like SUDENE and MEC, with United States Agency for International Development (USAID). These agreements purposed the cultural alignment. In this article we will expose some of these agreements and their interference in two courses for teachers' education. These teachers taught mathematics for the elementary school, in Rio Grande do Norte.

Dynamics of change of mathematics education in Brazil and a scenario of current research

Mathematics education in Brazil, if we consider what one may call the scientific phase, is about 30 years old. The papers for this special issue focus mainly on this period. During these years, many trends have emerged in mathematics education to address the complex problems facing Brazilian society. However, most Brazilian mathematics educators feel that the separation of research into trends is a theoretical idealization that does not respond to the dynamics of the problems we face. We raise the conjecture that the complexity of Brazilian society, where pockets of wealth coexist with the most shocking poverty, has contributed to the adoption and generation of different strands in mathematics education, crossing the boundaries between trends. At a more micro level, we also raise the conjecture that Brazilian trends in research are interwoven because of the way that Brazilian mathematics educators have experienced the process of globalization over these 30 years. This tapestry of trends is a predominant characteristic of mathematics education in Brazil. © FIZ Karlsruhe 2009.

Genomic alterations in patients showing multiple primary tumors and family history of cancer

Multiple primary tumors (MPT) are a major cause of mortality and morbidity among patients that have survived after the treatment of a first cancer. It has been proposed that after the first primary tumor, high risk of a subsequent tumor could be associated with radiotherapy used as treatment for the first cancer. Other potential risk factors include unhealthy lifestyle, genetic predisposition, aging, environmental determinants or an interaction between these factors. However, an association between the presence of MPT and family history of cancer in cases without clinical and molecular evidence of a known hereditary cancer syndrome is rarely described. Genomic DNA from 12 patients with at least two primary tumors and without mutations on TP53 was evaluated by CytoScan HD Array (Affymetrix). Chromosome Analysis Suite (ChAS) software v.2.0.1 was used considering at least 50 markers for gains; 25 for losses and a minimum of 5Mb for cnLOHs. Data from 1038 phenotypically healthy individuals (Affymetrix) and from Database of Genomic Variants were used as reference. Only alterations found in <1% (rare) or never described (new rare) in the reference population were considered. All cases, except one, presented a family history of cancer. Five cases developed MTP after radiotherapy and only one was located in the same treated area. It was detected 67 rare and 15 new rare genomic alterations encompassing 5.906 genes: 17 losses, 29 gains, and 36 cnLOH. X chromosome presented the higher number of alterations. Two patients with breast cancer presented a large deletion/cnLOH on 7q21. Enrichment analysis revealed 1275 genes associated with breast cancer (p= 0.001), which was diagnosed in 6 patients and their family members (all negative for BRCA1/2 or TP53 mutations). cnLOHs accounted for 44% of all the alterations. A significant proportion of cases (11/12) presented family history of cancer and the patients were not submitted to radiotherapy (7/12). We demonstrated the presence of rare genomic alterations in patients with MPT suggesting their involvement in the MPT development. cnLOH may arise as a new mechanism associated with the risk to develop MPT. All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Structuralism and the Applicability of Mathematics

In this paper I argue for the view that structuralism offers the best perspective for an acceptable account of the applicability of mathematics in the empirical sciences. Structuralism, as I understand it, is the view that mathematics is not the science of a particular type of objects, but of structural properties of arbitrary domains of entities, regardless of whether they are actually existing, merely presupposed or only intentionally intended.

História da Matemática em contextos da Educação Matemática: contribuições do GPHM

In this article we tried to show the paths outlined during the past years by the Research Group on History of Mathematics and/or its relations with Mathematics Education (GPHM) at UNESP in Rio Claro - Brazil, as well as the contributions we believe we have made to Mathematics Education. The group's production has focused on issues that address the history of institutions and characters, linked to the history of disciplines, concepts and learning materials. Also, in broader terms of mathematics education, this article presents results from research that supports the understanding of teachers' conceptions about the use of History of Mathematics in the classroom; material on the history of mathematics accessible to the teacher; the presence of the history of mathematics in textbooks; proposed introductions of real numbers; and the subject of Analysis in teacher education and training.

Primeiro Colóquio Brasileiro de Matemática: identificação de um registro e pequenas biografias de seus participantes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Sociedade de Matemática de São Paulo: um estudo histórico-institucional

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A imersão em um mundo mágico e maravilhoso: um estudo sobre a obra literário-educacional de Mario Tourasse Teixeira

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A coleção História da Matemática para professores: um estudo sobre possibilidades de uso por professores das séries finais do ensino fundamental

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Uma reflexão sobre a presença da história da matemática nos livros didáticos

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE

O uso da história da matemática em sala de aula: o que pensam alguns professores do ensino básico

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE

Prof. J.O. Monteiro de Camargo e o ensino de cálculo diferencial e integral e de análise na Universidade de São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE

Theodoro Augusto Ramos: um estudo comentado de sua tese de doutoramento

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE