Contribuições de um curso de extensão em geometria para a formação matemática de professores dos Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental

Abstract

This research arose from the restlessness from the beginning of my teaching performance, when I realized gaps in the content related to geometry in part of the students entering the final years of Elementary School. Thus, the interest arose in researching the teacher education of the early years for the teaching and learning of geometry and the idea of elaborating an extension course for teachers which generated an educational product. The present research has the following guiding question: What contributions of an extension course, in geometry, for the formation of teachers of the early years of Elementary School? In order to answer this question, the general objective of this study is to investigate the contributions of an extension course for the geometric formation of the teachers of the early years of Elementary School. And, as specific objectives: to identify the perceptions and learning of the teachers in the extension course in geometry; analyze the discussions about the geometric concepts and contents covered in the course and; contribute to discussions on teacher geometry education in the early years. In order to base our discussions, we use as theoretical references the studies of Pavanello (1989), Leme da Silva (2009) and Manoel (2012) to reflect on historical aspects that influenced the teaching and learning of geometry; to address the teacher education who teach mathematics in the early years, we support in Nacarato, Mengali and Passos (2009), Curi and Fernandes (2012), Pavanello (2004) and Ponte (1998); on the teacher education for the geometry teaching, we can mention Barros and Sampaio (2014), Barbosa and Ferreira (2013), D’Antonio and Pavanello (2013) and Strohschoen (2013). We developed a qualitative research in which we used to obtain the data the video and audio recording of the extension course given at a university in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to the activities performed by the participants who were a teacher, eleven pedagogy students, a statistic and a Architecture professor at that university. Pedagogical practices were developed through the use of manipulative didactic materials, addressing different issues related to geometry, such as geometric solids, flat geometric figures, angles, etc. Data analysis revealed gaps in the geometric knowledge of the participants, but also allowed a new view on the geometry teaching in which they could reflect, raise hypotheses, exchange experiences and ideas, etc. In addition, the participants were able to re-signify their geometric knowledge and have contact with different methodological strategies. This course also provided the perspective that the teacher is a mediator in a classroom model in which the student assumes the leading role in the teaching and learning process, investigating, exploring and building his knowledge through more playful practices. This proposal for an extension course can promote changes in the perspective of the classroom, since both teacher and student can present alternations of roles, representing a new model of communication, elucidation of questions, exchanges of experiences and, above all, in the construction of knowledge.