Análise do desenvolvimento de conceitos científicos sobre a teoria da evolução das espécies em alunos do ensino médio
Abstract
In this investigation we have analyzed the development of scientific concepts of
students engaged in a teaching intervention on the theme Evolution of the species .
That activity had as main characteristics: a) its structure was formulated in a way that
aimed on stimulating students reasoning and interfering in one s conception on the
theme; b) it was also supported by a teaching instrument that was elaborated with the
purpose of simulating the evolutionary process and create a proper environment to
develop the intended activities.
This intervention, in which the researcher acted as the teacher and students of a
University s exam preparatory course participated as volunteers, was meant to generate
a diagnosis on the ideas of the participants and also interfere and evaluate (at the end of
the process) those. For such, the intervention was subdivided in three phases: Diagnostic
Evaluation, Development and Evaluation of the Learning Process.
In order to make the investigation possible, a series of data were collected. The
concerned: i) the ideas and concepts of the students; ii) the conditions of the learning
available to them; iii) teachers interventions; iv) teacher-student interactions; v)
different ways of utilizing the teaching instrument. Having in mind the objective of this
research, as said before, the same kinds of data were gathered in all phases of the
intervention and were subject of analysis regarding each phase and the whole process.
As a result of the research we were able to characterize the conceptual
development of the participants along the process. One could observe that there was
development of elements of the scientific concepts, but the development of a system of
meanings, consisting on genuine scientific meanings, that had just began. This partial
development enabled us to highlight the importance of the cognitive work of
systematization and application of concepts, in order that the process of learning
scientific concepts happens through a acquisition of a system of meanings consisting on
concepts with a high level of conscience and generalization.
We were able to conclude that the consideration of Vygotski s theory on the
teaching practice related to science concepts can offer a huge advancement in a
significant learning of these concepts. We also identified the important role of the
reasoning and actions of the teacher along the process, including his knowledge on the
students ideas, on their learning process. In addiction, we have some conclusions about
the teaching instrument role in the intervention: was positive in generating motivation
on participating in many of the activities done during the intervention; had a positive
role in the diagnosis of the students ideas; it helped establishing rules about the use of
the instrument when regarding the discussions and situations that were good for the
learning process, but it related to some learning difficulties presented by the students; it
collaborated in proposing e developing activities that articulated scientific concepts and
thought operations ; was possible to allow the central role of the conduction, by the
teacher, of the activities related to the instrument to characterize the activity.