WOODCUTS: POSSIBILITIES FOR TEACHING GEOMETRY THROUGH ART AND ISSUES OF GENDER
Mathematics Education; Geometry teaching; Northeastern woodcuts; Literature of twine; Gender relations.
An indispensable science for humanity, geometry understands and contributes to the development of the world, making it possible to understand other areas of knowledge and assuming its importance between human beings and everyday life. Contextualizing elements, social concerns and components of Northeastern popular culture, notably woodcuts and cordel, crossed by a view of gender relations, were connected to the teaching of mathematics. Given this theme, the following questions arise: How can geometry, taught in a contextualized way within popular culture and gender relations, contribute to math skills and concepts? In what ways? Based on these questions, we carried out a qualitative, descriptive, bibliographical investigation, with field research and participant observation. With this conception, this research aims to develop and evaluate an Educational Product for Basic Education, in the form of a Didactic Sequence (DS), a contextualizing proposal for the teaching of geometry, construction of symmetrical elements, with a focus on image reflection. The DS was organized into the Three Pedagogical Moments and applied to high school students studying Building Technology in the city of Lajes/RN.The results of the application of this sequence were examined using the content analysis methodology.Teaching and learning geometry in a contextualized way proved to be a challenge.When we analyzed the results, we found difficulties and possibilities for the students in relation to various aspects, such as: a) concepts of geometry; b) the use of calculations, magnitudes and dimensions; c) an awakening of scientific and cultural curiosity; d) creativity and motivation; e) the interrelationships between woodcuts and geometry; f) family, domestic activity and religion; g) women and society. Overall, the analysis showed that teaching geometry using art and gender issues promotes the construction of knowledge for understanding mathematical principles and the development of reflections and critical thinking with the students involved in the research.In other words, this line of teaching and learning contributed to the professional and social training of individuals.Thus, for students to become protagonists and critics of the context in which they live in society, it is necessary for educational institutions to offer possibilities that promote a path of critical education, relating mathematics to culture, everyday life and society.