Mathematical Problems in the Case of a Curriculum: Analysis based on Context and Contextualization

The objective of this study is to analyze the context and contextualization of problems from the case of the Costa Rican curriculum developed in the 2012 reform. The mixed methodology consists of a qualitative content analysis and a subsequent quantitative account. A system of categories is built from a literature review leading to the study of types of context and types of contextualization. The 59.5% out of the total of 141 problems has a scientific/mathematics context, with contextualization of the active type in only a few of them. Moreover, contexts of the rural and indigenous types are absent. We conclude therefore that some disconnections exist between the theoretical curricular basis and the problems exemplified. Finally, we propose the further discussion of our categories as indicators for the design of mathematical problems with contextualization of the active and significant types.