A test of patience and perseverance
“Arduous but rewarding.” That’s how Gustavo Bentancor—a graduate ofthe Master’s in Education program at Universidad ORT Uruguaydescribed the process of writing his thesis. It was fraught with moments of discouragement and uncertainty, during which Bentancor wasn’t sure if he would be able to finish his thesis. Not being able to devote himself 100% to his research—since he had family and work responsibilities—caused him distress.
For him, the support of his family and classmates was essential, as were “the tutor’s clear and sound guidance” and, above all, his “strong commitment to the chosen topic.” He also learned the importance of patience and perseverance.
The experiences of other colleagues who had already earned their master’s degrees were key to understanding that these challenges “are inherent to the research process.”
“Writing my thesis felt like an intellectual challenge unlike any other task I had ever undertaken,” he said, adding that conducting his research was “an opportunity to discover new strengths, abilities, and skills that go beyond the academic realm.”
What and why
Gustavo Bentancor’s thesis—titled“Mathematization: A Look at the Teaching and Assessment Practices of Teachers in the Basic Education Cycle in a Metropolitan Area of Montevideo”—sought to characterize teachers’ mathematics teaching practices, as well as to explore their conceptions of and the value they place on mathematical problems.
The research focused on mathematization. In the graduate’s words, this refers to the process that occurs when a student encounters a real-life problem and, in seeking a solution, transforms it into mathematical structures they are familiar with.
“Mathematical knowledge plays a key role, since many of the situations that arise require the application of skills such as formulating, applying, and interpreting mathematics in different contexts,” he said.
He also explained that working with real-world problems—which allow students to connect curriculum content to its context—leads to “meaningful learning that contributes to the development of critical-thinking citizens.”
For this reason, in his view, the use of mathematics “should be regarded as the central activity of the teaching process.”
The Beginning and the End
His interest in the subject stemmed from his experience as a math teacher, as well as from his role as director of the Math Olympiad in the Casavalle neighborhood.
The early days of Bentancor’s work were “a challenge,” during which he had to realize that research is an endeavor where results aren’t immediately apparent.
It was also necessary to “learn to move past challenges that lead nowhere, focus on what really matters, avoid dragging things out unnecessarily, and develop organizational strategies.”
Wrapping up the research wasn't easy either, though he found it “a real learning experience”: “Trying to reconcile the results obtained from the data analysis without compromising the coherence that must exist between each part of the thesis was no easy task.”
A problem that is difficult to solve
“The finding that teachers in the early years of primary education in the Montevideo metropolitan area do not demonstrate a reflection on the concept of mathematization and its implications for teaching practices” was one of the most significant findings of Bentancor’s thesis, according to the author.
Furthermore, he found that they do not engage in “horizontal mathematization processes,” although “aspects that promote vertical mathematization” were evident “both in discourse and in practice.”
The graduate explained that horizontal mathematization refers to the process in which students identify a mathematical model that helps them solve a real-world problem. In vertical mathematization, students use concepts and skills to solve that problem.
Bentancor noted that the teachers studied “do not start with real-world problems.” However, they “promote intramathematical processes”—which encourage vertical mathematization—such as reasoning, the search for regularities and patterns, the use of different modes of representation, conjecture, and proof.