Museu virtual de ciências e democratização do conhecimento: uma análise de navegação a partir do processamento visual

Abstract

This research investigates the process of scientific knowledge democratization within an intermediate immersive digital environment. The study's relevance stems from the need to understand digital interfaces not merely as information repositories but as environments that demand specific cognitive processing and accessibility to promote scientific inclusion. The general objective was to analyze navigation in a virtual science museum and its contributions to the socialization and democratization of scientific knowledge. By employing eye-tracking technology, this study correlates visitors' cognitive functions with interface configuration. The research involved students from the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), using the virtual environment of the Museu de Zoologia da USP as a scenario. Data collection included eye-tracking experiments, the retrospective think-aloud technique, and a semi-structured form, with analysis grounded in the Multimodal Critical Analysis Model. The results reveal that high visual salience elements and objects with semantic value function as cognitive anchors, reducing cognitive load and facilitating navigation. Analysis of Areas of Interest (AOIs) demonstrates that interfaces with excessive textual information scatter attention, whereas a balance between visual stimuli and explanatory content favors longer ocular fixations and deeper information processing. The findings indicate that participants' life trajectories and cultural capital directly influence navigational autonomy; notably, a lack of prior familiarity with physical museums did not hinder knowledge appropriation when the interface provided intuitive visual cues. However, identified navigability barriers triggered episodes of spatial disorientation, underscoring that democratization extends beyond technical access and depends on the quality of mediated interaction. This study concludes that the democratization of knowledge in virtual environments relies on interfaces that respect the subject's visual processing and cultural repertoire, thereby promoting autonomy. As a practical contribution, this thesis developed an Educational Product in the form of an informative website providing guidelines for developers, educators, and other stakeholders, reinforcing the need for virtual museums to emancipate themselves from the logic of the physical museum.