Teacher Discussions as Inputs for the Improvement of the Didactic Suitability of a Massive Study Process in the Period of Admission to the University

Resumo

Background: For those who coordinate massive study processes –with large teaching teams and student populations–, the question of the quality of said processes (regarding the onto-semiotic approach to mathematical knowledge and instruction, that is, its didactic suitability) entails not only the problem of the specificity of the assessment but also that of its translation into decisions for improvement. Objective: To show how the discussions between those responsible for a massive study process allow the assessment of the suitability of the process to be translated into decisions for improvement. Design: This is a qualitative research, of an exploratory nature, consisting of the thematic analysis of the discussions developed in 2021 within two focus groups (one of teachers, and the other of coordinators). Setting and Participants: Mathematics subject in the area of admission to an Argentine public university, whose teaching team is made up of 29 professors and three coordinators, in 27 classrooms, managed a four-month study process for 1,212 students. Data collection and analysis: The discussions, based on the results of a quantitative assessment of didactic suitability, took place in virtual settings, and were video-recorded, transcribed, and coded with the QCAmap application. Results: The discussions made it possible to delve into the reasons for the results of the assessment, and to define priority lines of intervention for improvement. Conclusions: Discussing the results of the didactic suitability assessment of a massive study process among teachers and coordinators is a pertinent strategy for those who coordinate it to make decisions aimed at improving on a rigorous basis.