Informal use of mathematics in the classroom: The perspective of graduate students in Rural Education

The research carried out had the objective of analyzing the perspective of students of the Specialization Course in Rural Education in relation to the informal use of mathematics in the classroom. The informal use of mathematics in the classroom was addressed, focusing on a specific case involving a Youth and Adult Education (AYE) class. The qualitative case study was conducted with 8 participating students and took place remotely in June 2022, through the Google Meet platform. As an instrument, an online questionnaire with 6 open questions was used, which explored the participants' opinions about the attitude of a teacher and a student in a situation of disagreement regarding the use of formal mathematics as opposed to practical experience. The students' responses were analyzed and compared. The results indicate that the participants value both theoretical and practical knowledge and recognize the importance of dialogue and interaction between teacher and student. They also emphasize the need to balance theoretical and practical knowledge in the classroom and to value students' prior experience and knowledge. The study highlights the relevance of considering different educational perspectives and adapting the pedagogical approach to student needs and experiences, especially in AYE contexts.