Práticas curriculares e numeramento na educação matemática da educação de jovens, adultos e idosos: um estudo sobre a mediação de jogos pedagógicos na apropriação de conhecimentos numéricos

Abstract

This dissertation investigated the appropriation of numeracy practices by students of Youth, Adult and Older Adult Education (EJA) through their participation in mathematical games in the school context. The general objective was to understand how learners in this educational modality appropriate numerical knowledge when experiencing playful learning situations in the classroom. The specific objectives were: (i) to identify the calculation strategies mobilized by students during the games; (ii) to analyze how games contribute to the reading, interpretation, and resolution of numerical situations; and (iii) to understand the meanings attributed by students to mathematical activities mediated by games. The study adopted a qualitative approach and was characterized as a case study developed in light of the principles of action research, conducted in a municipal public school and involving six students from an EJA class, identified by pseudonyms in order to preserve their identities. Data were produced through participant observation, field notes, photographic records, and analysis of written productions developed by the students throughout the game-based activities, especially those focused on the four fundamental arithmetic operations. Data analysis revealed that the use of games enabled students to mobilize personal calculation strategies, read and interpret numerical situations, and make decisions more autonomously. The games also fostered the recognition of students’ prior knowledge, promoting collaborative interactions and the collective construction of knowledge. The results further indicated a significant increase in participation, engagement, and selfconfidence in relation to mathematical activities. It is concluded that mathematical games, by promoting numeracy practices in contexts of interaction, cooperation, and playfulness, constitute a powerful pedagogical strategy in Youth and Adult Education. They contribute to the re-signification of students’ relationship with mathematics, the strengthening of their sense of belonging, and the recognition of their life trajectories, experiences, and identities within the school environment.