Diagnóstico de estilos de aprendizagem em biologia e implementação de atividades correlatas: quais são suas implicações na aprendizagem?

Abstract

Teaching is a complex challenge, especially in classrooms composed of students with different learning profiles. To address this reality, several models have been developed to identify students’ learning styles and, consequently, assist teachers in their work. These models have been applied at different educational levels as diagnostic tools to help map students’ needs and preferences, thereby contributing to more effective pedagogical decisions. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze the learning styles in Biology of first-year high school students in a vocational education school located in the interior of São Paulo state. Additionally, it sought to implement teaching activities related to these learning styles to identify their implications for student learning. To achieve this, we used the New Index of Learning Styles (N-ILS) questionnaire, adapted by Vieira Júnior (2012). Due to the specific focus on Biology, linguistic and metalinguistic adjustments were made to the instrument’s questions. A total of 35 students participated in the study, and the results indicated a predominance of active, sensing, visual, and sequential learning profiles. These profiles suggest a preference for participatory, experimental, and logically organized approaches. Based on this data, considering the study’s objective and the first-year high school curriculum, we adopted the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) perspective as our theoretical-methodological framework. This approach is particularly relevant for fostering interest in Science and promoting problem-solving in decision-making processes. From the STS perspective, a set of teaching activities was designed and implemented throughout the second bimester of 2024. To assess the implications of these activities on student learning while correlating them with the identified learning styles, we applied Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA). This qualitative approach enabled a deeper understanding of the investigated phenomena, facilitating the reconstruction and expansion of knowledge on the covered topics. Overall, the results indicated that most students perceived the adaptation of activities as positive, validating the effectiveness of the implemented practices. However, the findings also highlight the importance of diversifying tools and pedagogical strategies to address an even broader spectrum of learning profiles.