The use of rubrics for evaluating Mathematics textbooks: contributions to initial teacher training

Abstract

The critical analysis of educational materials is essential to ensure that educational resources meet pedagogical objectives and students' needs. The National Program for Textbooks and Educational Materials evaluates the textbooks adopted by public schools, considering aspects such as alignment with the Common National Curriculum Base, diversity, and technical quality. This study proposes the use of rubrics in textbook evaluation to enhance the critical analysis skills of future teachers in the context of the Mathematics Teaching and its Technologies course within the Pedagogy degree program. The methodology involved developing and applying rubrics to evaluate Mathematics textbooks designed for Early Childhood Education and the Early Years of Elementary Education. The activity was carried out in stages, beginning with a discussion of the aspects to be analyzed in a textbook, such as content coherence, diversity of activities, and resources. Next, each student selected a textbook and applied a customized rubric. The results indicated that rubrics provide a detailed and systematic analysis, fostering reflection on the relevance and quality of educational materials. The students highlighted the importance of rubrics as a tool to enhance critical thinking and expand their understanding of appropriate teaching materials for their pedagogical practice. Thus, it is possible to observe that the development of rubrics contributes to the qualitative analysis of educational materials and strengthens the critical training of pre-service teachers, enabling the selection of pedagogical materials that effectively and equitably meet students' needs and the school curriculum.