DUAL TREATMENTS AS STARTING POINT FOR INTEGRATIVE PERCEPTIONS IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS

In this paper, we recommend mathematical teaching through dual treatments. The dual treatments notion, classified in dual interpretations, dual analyses, dual solutions, and dual formulations, is explained through concrete examples taken from mathematical textbooks of elementary education. Dual treatments provide opportunities for creating different points of view on a mathematical situation and thus developing the integrative perceptions of the students. Teaching through dual treatments for integrative perceptions formation was evaluated during the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 academic school year periods. Data were evaluated using ANOVA and t test analyses. The study, involving 205 students in the first grade of the elementary education, demonstrated that mathematical teaching through dual treatments (1) influences the integrative perceptions formation; (2) there is no significant difference between girls and boys after the implementation of teaching through dual treatments in integrative perceptions formation.