Geometria e seu ensino: uma análise das concepções de estudantes de um curso de pedagogia na modalidade a distância

Abstract

The research presented here seeks to analyze the conceptions of mathematics, teaching mathematics and geometry of students in a distance learning undergraduate course, applied by the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro – UNIRIO, an institution where I have worked since 2011, in the subject Mathematics in Education 2. During the period in which I work on this course, as a distance teacher-tutor, I observe the difficulties presented and, in this context, the reason for this work emerges, seeking to understand their reasons. In the research, we set out to answer the following question: What conceptions do students of the Pedagogy course, in the distance learning modality, have about Geometry and its teaching? To achieve our aim, we carried out qualitative research with 49 students, belonging to 9 regional support centers for a Pedagogy course, in the distance learning modality, through discussion forums available on the platform. As a foundation, we built our theoretical framework based on the themes of Distance Education, Teacher Training for Mathematics Teaching, Geometry Teaching, Critical Mathematics and Decolonial Education. The methodology used was case study, with a qualitative and, at times, quantitative approach. The research was carried out at two different moments: The first through the participation of students in the discipline's forums and the second through the analysis of information and contributions from undergraduates. The results showed that the conceptions about teaching mathematics and geometry of the students who participated are, in general, of an uninteresting subject, with teachers unprepared to teach a subject that is still seen as difficult, poorly integrated into the students' reality and that ignores the culture and traditions of communities. They made numerous suggestions to improve teaching qualifications, with emphasis on the need to contextualize content, use concrete materials, introduce games, develop playful activities and use natural elements in teaching geometry.