Semiotic-psychoanalytic analysis of a visual representation of stupidity in mathematics teaching and learning

Abstract:

This article aims to analyze a picture as a visual representation or sign of stupidity in teaching and learning mathematics, which was carried out with 23 pedagogy students with disturbing memories that can cause flaws in their reality tests. Two forms were analyzed, one with free associations of the figure and one with dissertations from the students, making up the semiotic-psychoanalytic reading of the data. The references used were the theory of signs, with Santaella's study of the matrices of languages and thought (visual and verbal); Pierce's theories of interpretants and perception; and psychoanalytic concepts. The results showed a majority of opinionated reference associations. The most associated words (rhemes) were donkey, add, wrong, producing the opinionated (dicisign) proposition: the donkey adds up wrong. It was concluded that this, shows a flaw in reality testing, as subjects escape from facing up to the displeasure that the figure caused.

Keywords:
Mathematics education; Semiotic psychoanalytic; Image interpretation; Pedagogy