Financial mathematics from the perspective of a liberating education: study of the perception of a group of teachers

Abstract

The study aims to analyze teachers' perceptions about the possibility of including the Freirean approach in Financial Mathematics classes. To this end, it organizes a 30-hour continuing education course for a group of teachers who teach Financial Mathematics in high school, in order to introduce the didactic-pedagogical approach of the Three Pedagogical Moments (Delizoicov; Angotti, 1991) as an alternative. The qualitative research uses as data the participants' statements during the meetings and in the semi-structured interview conducted at the end of the course. The data are analyzed based on two categories: Freirean pedagogical conception and Didactic-pedagogical organization. The results indicate that the teachers understood and accepted the Freirean perspective as the course meetings took place, realizing that it met their conceptions about the teaching process; that they were involved and encouraged to apply the 3MP; and, they are committed to promoting a liberating education in the teaching of Mathematics. However, participants stated that all this involvement requires contact with activities that provide the opportunity to develop “point-of-use” activities and examples of possibilities, favoring their implementation in Mathematics classes.