Emerging meanings of mathematical learning in the Math Marathon

This study analyzes the emerging meanings of mathematical learning as expressed in the discourses of students, teachers, and technical staff who participated in the Math Marathon, a playful strategy implemented in public schools. The purpose was to interpret how the experience of learning mathematics is configured when it is experienced through play, emotion, and collaboration. A qualitative methodology based on Critical Discourse Analysis was used, with thematic coding, voice triangulation, and semantic visualization through a network of co-occurrences. The results reveal that positive emotion—particularly enjoyment, confidence, and empowerment—acts as a driving force for learning, while teachers redefine their role toward creative and reflective mediation. Collaboration emerges as the central axis articulating affective, cognitive, and social dimensions, giving rise to a transformative educational ecology. It is concluded that play, when intentionally designed, allows for a reconfiguration of the relationship with mathematics, fostering more inclusive, humane, and meaningful pedagogical practices.