The paper intended to contribute to the understanding of the interrelationships between the so-called "academic knowledge" and the knowledge and experience of students of a Graduation in Rural Education, at a public university of southeastern Brazil. Specifically, we are interested in analyzing the discussions that emerged in lessons of Life Sciences, focusing on the elements of the controversies that happened at these meetings. Based on the actor-network theory, the research points to the fact that the students place themselves as active subjects who mobilize knowledge, practices and experiences that make them foster controversy in a training situation, towards a knowledge that is authorized by the university. It could be noticed the rich ontological elements related to dynamic relations of the economy, politics, international relations and social hierarchies. Thus, it was possible to discern elements that compose the material reality with which the licensees are amalgamated.