CURRICULARIZAÇÃO DA EXTENSÃO NO CURSO DE LICENCIATURA EM MATEMÁTICA DA UEPG: UM ESTUDO QUALITATIVO SOBRE AS PRIMEIRAS EXPERIÊNCIAS DOS LICENCIANDOS

The integration of extension programs into the curriculum is one of the major recent changes in Brazilian higher education, fostering closer ties between universities and society. This study analyzes the perceptions of mathematics education majors at UEPG regarding their initial experiences in extension courses. This is a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study based on the analysis of responses provided by students enrolled in the course “Introduction to Extension Practice.” The data were examined using content analysis and categorized a priori based on the five guidelines for university extension programs (FORPROEX, 2012). Our results show that pre-service teachers recognize extension courses as privileged spaces for teacher training, engagement with the community, and contextualized pedagogical practices. They highlight mathematics as accessible, playful, and socially relevant knowledge. We emphasize that the integration of extension into the curriculum contributes significantly to initial teacher education, strengthening the integration between the university and society.