The Cerrado stricto sensu from the Perspective of Inventive Mathematics Education

Abstract

The Cerrado comprises a wide diversity of phytophysiognomies, among which the Cerrado stricto sensu stands out as one of the biome’s most characteristic savanna formations. Despite its ecological relevance, Basic Education students often experience difficulties in understanding the relationships that characterize this phytophysiognomy. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the understandings produced by students about the Cerrado stricto sensu during their inventive journey in an experience of Inventive Mathematics Education with Educational Robotics, mediated by an interactive book. The article is part of a series of six studies, each dedicated to analyzing the understandings produced in one of the modules of the interactive book on Cerrado phytophysiognomies. The qualitative research was conducted from the perspective of cartographic intervention research. The Educational Product Robótica Educacional no Cerrado (Educational Robotics in the Cerrado) was developed from experiences carried out with 69 seventh-grade students in 2024, who collaborated in the composition of inventive worlds through the construction of models, the assembly and programming of educational robots, and the production of videos. Subsequently, the interactive book was shared with 33 seventh-grade students in 2025. The present study analyzes the understandings produced by the group of four students responsible for the module investigating the Cerrado stricto sensu, followed through their responses to the investigative questions and the reflective record produced at the end of the experience. The analysis revealed four analytical movements: production of initial understandings about the Cerrado stricto sensu; identification and classification of the Cerrado stricto sensu; production of understandings about the ecological characteristics of the Cerrado stricto sensu; and reflective record and production of meanings about the inventive journey. The results indicate that the articulation among the interactive book, Educational Robotics, videos, models, and investigative questions fostered the production of understandings about the Cerrado stricto sensu. Furthermore, the analysis revealed potentialities of the Educational Product itself by indicating the need to reformulate one of the investigative questions to foster more authorial, interpretative, and problematizing productions. It is concluded that the articulation among Science Education, Inventive Mathematics Education, and Educational Robotics reveals potentialities for the development of investigative experiences concerning Cerrado phytophysiognomies in Basic Education.