Divulgação científica voltada para o público infantil: uma análise a partir de programas televisivos

Abstract

This research is the result of concerns about the different ways of thinking and approaching the natural sciences for children. It assumes that prior to attending school children already have contact with aspects of scientific culture through the media, of contact with parents and other adults or older children, or through direct contact with science-related elements and phenomena. In this sense, this study aims to understand the vision of Science and Child that underlies the means of scientific dissemination that are intended for children. Firstly, to conduct this qualitative research, a theoretical framework was built on what would be understood as a child and its relationship with science. Childhood is being understood as a social category and children as social actors, members of this category and producers of cultures. Subsequently, programs were selected that aimed to disseminate science to children, in order to analyze some episodes of the same. Three programs were selected: “Earth to Luna”, “The Scientist Sid” and “The Mika’s Diary”. We sought a methodology that was adequate to analyze television programs, arriving at Content Analysis, focused on what is proposed by Laurence Bardin. Data analysis was performed through episodes clippings and based on the dialogues that occurred in them. From the research it was possible to understand that when the program is intended for the dissemination of science to children, there is the emergence of a new stereotype of making and disseminating science and the idea that has about the viewer child. There is great difficulty when it comes to disseminating science to this audience and at the same time respecting the children's universe, its singularities and not overlapping them.