Contributo para a história das inovações no ensino da Matemática no Primário: João António Nabais e o desenvolvimento e divulgação de materiais didácticos

Abstract

The present article, in the scope of the History of Mathematics Education, has the aim to know the role of João António Nabais, founder of the Vasco da Gama School, in the development and spreading of didactics materials for the Mathematics teaching in Elementary School, in the period between the beginning of the 60’s and the 70’s, in the context of the Modern Mathematics.

The used methodology is based on the historical inquiry, having as reference cultural history. The main sources of the study are written documents by the Nabais himself about the work developed in the Vasco da Gama School, the verbal depositions of people who had worked with him, didactic materials developed by Nabais, written notes of the courses and photos.

These documents were analyzed from the qualitative point of view. About the work of João António Nabais, it is stressed his role in the spreading and development of didactic materials for mathematics teaching. At the beginning of the 60’s his work is centered on the spreading of the Cuisenaire material and from 1966, he developed other didactic material as “Calculadoras Multibásicos” and “Cubos — Barras de Cor”. He also worked hard in teacher development.