School mathematics needs to encompass digital technology, says Imbuzeiro.

In a hyper-connected world, where a profusion of data circulates in new technologies, “bringing mathematics from the digital world to the classroom is fundamental,” said IMPA researcher Roberto Imbuzeiro during the 3rd Mathematical Mindsets Seminar , this Wednesday (27). Held virtually by the Sidarta Institute in partnership with Itaú Social and with support from IMPA, the event brought together international speakers, Brazilian researchers and market figures to discuss the importance of mathematics in the post-pandemic world and to consider how educational managers can mobilize networks to improve the teaching of the subject.

The panel “Mathematics in the Digital World,” which Imbuzeiro participated in, also included IMPA doctoral candidate Hallison Paz; Stanford University Professor of Mathematics Education and creator of the Mathematical Mindsets program, Jo Boaler; and Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) professor and Coordinator of the Girls in Data Science Project, Karla Oliveira Esquerre. Ya Jen Chang, president of the Sidarta Institute, moderated the conversation.

In a brief video appearance, Hallison Paz explained how mathematics fits into the world of technology. “In the digital age, the world has become more complex because the digital has become another dimension of our lives. And mathematics is what builds this dimension. Everything we can represent on a computer is a mathematical concept, including this video through which we are communicating,” Hallison pointed out. “Mathematical algorithms mediate many of our interactions with the world, and consequently have an impact on our decisions and on the lives of many people,” he added.

Imbuzeiro explained that, in the contemporary world, we have to deal with more abstract concepts, such as information, which relates to two objects: computing and data. “Data has been coming in large volumes and with great complexity from a series of scientific experiments, from public agencies that want to monitor what is happening in society, and from social networks. It is important that we deal with this data and extract information from it.” At this point, computing is a strong ally. “There is so much data, so varied and complex, that we cannot simply handle it manually. We need the machine to help us.”

Jo Boaler, a member of the "Data Science for Everyone" project, which brings data science concepts to classrooms in the United States, modernizing mathematics education, reinforced the need to teach young people and children data literacy from an early age. "Any student who leaves school with a sense of reading and interpreting data will benefit. It's in every job and in every part of life." Beyond the professional advantage, it's important to know how to interpret data to avoid being deceived, she added. "Particularly when they start interacting with social media and begin receiving incorrect data and images intended to mislead them. We want them to develop this literacy so they can separate right from wrong and fact from fiction," she said.

Bringing data science and statistics into the classroom, connecting it to students' daily lives, is a great way to engage students in mathematics as well as other subjects like history, geography, and art, Karla Oliveira Esquerre pointed out. To address themes related to causality in her educational projects, for example, the teacher has even illustrated the concepts with capoeira. “In a capoeira circle, there are each participant, the movement of each person, the music… There's a whole structure for that to happen. How do the factors relate? What is a cause-and-effect relationship there? It's a process that attracts the student,” she explained.

Imbuzeiro pointed out that the presence of computers in schools, something still distant considering the Brazilian reality, is a first step towards promoting digital education, but it is necessary to go further. “It’s not just about learning how to use an application or a computer. Students need to play and test mathematical concepts on the computer, such as understanding programming logic, to be able to face the world in an analytical way. It is necessary to explore the intellectual potential of the thing. We need the Brazilian citizen of the 21st century to be able to deal with this flood of information around us in a critical way.”

The third edition of the Mathematical Mindsets Seminar ended this Wednesday (27) and brought together representatives from education departments, managers and teachers in lectures, debates and workshops.