Promote equity in teaching. For this purpose, professors at the University of Taubaté (UNITAU) and a student of the Professional Master's in Education (MPE) developed an innovative collaborative activity with second-semester Computer Engineering students.
The trio, trained by Prof.. Dr. Katia Celina da Silva Richetto, director of the Basic Exact Institute (IBE), by Professor Dr. Willian José Ferreira, undergraduate and MPE professor, and by the master's student Prof.. Victor Belmonte Major de Paula, applied a pedagogical methodology inspired by the practices of researcher Rachel Lotan, do Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP), exploring patterns and functions using visual sequences.
The Profa. Dr. Kátia Celina da Silva Richetto explains that, in this model, students work in small groups, and each member has a previously established role, actively participating in a joint activity.
"In this regard, the activity promotes cooperative teaching with a focus on equity and inclusion, using multidimensional tasks that allow everyone to contribute, regardless of skills. Furthermore, the methodology highlights shared responsibility and ongoing teacher training to ensure effectiveness, reducing educational disparities and promoting positive social interactions”, highlights.
The activity was applied in the Calculus I discipline. In addition to developing the technical skills of university students, the technique contributes to strengthening communication and empathy skills, essential for the training of engineers prepared for contemporary challenges.
“The application of the methodology resulted in improved academic performance and greater student engagement. Key benefits include developing collaborative skills, promoting inclusion and equity, in addition to reducing performance disparities. This approach strengthens active student participation and contributes to a more effective and inclusive learning dynamic.”, reinforces the director of IBE.
Activity is the result of a new line of research from the Master’s in Education
The methodology applied in the Calculus I class for Computer Engineering students is the result of a new line of research, “Pedagogical Practices for Equity”, released in 2023 by the Professional Master's Degree in Education from UNITAU.
“In environments that seek to be equitable, collaborative activities are highlighted as an important pedagogical strategy, which encourages the inclusion of all students and promotes the development of logical reasoning and critical thinking through dynamic interactions in groups”, explains the master's student in Education, Prof. Victor Belmonte.
The University of Taubaté is the first Higher Education Institution (IES) offering this line of research, applying the methodology of the Teaching Specialization Program (Ped Brasil) in the Professional Master's degree, which reinforces the University's commitment to educational innovation.
“I didn't know about this method of dividing roles between group members., with pre-established functions, what motivated us to collaborate in a more structured way. Working on a joint final product helped us understand the content better and exchange knowledge more clearly”, says Luis Felipe Ismael da Silva, student in the second semester of Computer Engineering who participated in the activity.
ACOM/UNITAU
