Programa neurocientífico para a aprendizagem significativa de genética

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a Neuroscientific Teaching Program (PNE) for the meaningful learning of Genetics in High School. The study was developed during the second semester of 2015, in the Genetics classes, the integral content of Biology discipline. Participated in the present research the teacher responsible for the discipline and 63 students from the 3rd year of high school, during morning classes of a public school in a city located in the Southern Center of Paraná State. The intervention process was divided into three main stages: Initial Evaluation, PNE Application, and Final Evaluation. During the initial evaluation, students answered an questionnaire developed by Paiva and Martins (2005) to evaluate the students' prior knowledge about some Genetics themes, the Learning Approach Questionnaire (CAVALLO; SCHAFER, 1994) and the Motivation Assessment Scale for Learning (EMAPRE) (ZENORINI, 2007). For PNE application, the students of the classes were allocated into two groups: Control Group (CT) and Intervention Group (GI). The CT received the contents of traditional form. The GI was submitted to PNE, composed of several educational strategies and resources aiming to stimulate the students’ cognitive functions, emotions, and social interaction. During the final evaluation, students’ genetic knowledge was examined by the following instruments: Two-Tier Genetics Concepts Test (KILIÇ; SAGLAM, 2009) and Two-tier Diagnostic Instrument for Genetics (TSUI; TREAGUST, 2010). Also, a brief cognitive evaluation was also performed with the D2 Test of Attention (BRICKENKAMP, 2000) and the Abstract Reasoning Test, one of the subtests of the Battery of Reasoning Tests (BPR-5) (ALMEIDA; PRIMI, 2015). The results showed both groups had little previous knowledge about general topics in the area of Genetics, especially the concept and relations between DNA, gene and chromosomes. The CT students presented more coherent and elaborate previous knowledge, as well as greater interest in biological contents, motivation for learning and inclination for meaningful learning than GI students. However, these features did not imply better results in the final tests that evaluated the knowledge of Genetics. In fact, genetic knowledge tests demonstrated the majority of students in both groups had little knowledge of Molecular and Mendelian Genetics. The cognitive assessment also revealed difficulties in the ability to concentrate attention and abstract reasoning. Despite the limitations found in the development of this work, it may be concluded that PNE was effective for some GI students, particularly those who showed, in initial tests, orientation for meaningful learning and inclination towards the “performance-avoidance” goal, which literature states to be linked to low performance and dedication. In this way, the general hypothesis of this research was corroborated, that is to say, the students exposed to PNE presented better results in the final Genetics tests when compared to the students who were not in contact with the program. However, it is important to highlight that other studies must be conducted with different populations of students and with other content addressed.