A multidisciplinary project within the Bachelor’s Degree in Basic Education used the Iberian Wolf to promote contextualised and meaningful mathematical learning
Elvira Lázaro dos Santos, lecturer at the Lusofonia School of Education – Polytechnic Institute of Lusofonia (ESEL - IPLUSO), participated last Friday, 15 May, in the Pedagogical Conferences held at ISCE - Instituto Superior de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, where she presented the paper entitled “The Iberian Wolf and Mathematics in Initial Teacher Education”.
The presentation showcased the work developed within the Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics module, taught in the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Basic Education, as part of a multidisciplinary project focused on the Iberian Wolf and carried out in collaboration with other curricular areas.
The project engaged students in research activities, as well as the analysis and interpretation of scientific and mathematical data related to this species, fostering contextualised and meaningful learning experiences.
Within the field of Mathematics Education, students explored concepts related to measurement, proportionality and relationships between quantities, using data linked to the biology of the Iberian Wolf, including its height, paw print, stride and pace.
Through the proposed tasks, students developed key mathematical skills such as making mathematical connections, using mathematical representations, problem-solving and mathematical communication.
They also applied knowledge related to Numbers, Geometry and Data, through the analysis, comparison and interpretation of information in real-world contexts. Activities included comparisons between the characteristics of the Iberian Wolf, classroom dimensions and the students’ own heights.
The presentation highlighted the potential of project-based work and active learning methodologies in higher education, emphasising the importance of multidisciplinary and contextualised pedagogical practices in initial teacher education.
