Nanoquímica e nanotecnologia por meio de questões sociocientíficas: proposta para o ensino de química

Abstract

The Scientific and technological knowledge produced by humanity is constantly evolving. However, the appropriation of this knowledge and the debate about its impacts are still distant from the everyday reality of basic education. Chemistry in the high school curriculum and the way it is taught in schools still rely on concepts and content that are far removed from science, both in terms of timing and the topics covered. Given this reality, it is necessary for education to draw closer to this development, not only by addressing innovative and contemporary subjects in the classroom but also by promoting reflections on them. In light of this, one possibility is to organize innovative themes alongside the contents of the Chemistry discipline in order to foster a more critical discussion of this science in our daily lives, based on the CTSA (Science, Technology, Society, and Environment) approach, with a focus on Socio-scientific Issues. Therefore, the overall objective of this research was to analyze a sequence of lessons on Nanotechnology and Nanochemistry in Basic Education through Socio-scientific Issues. The research, of a qualitative exploratory nature, approved by the Ethics Committee, developed based on the BNCC (National Common Curriculum Base) and the Curricular Reference of the State of Paraná, involved 3rdyear high school students from a public school in the state of Curitiba. For the empirical work, a series of lessons was developed in accordance with the characteristics of the CTSA approach with a focus on Socio-scientific Issues. To do this, the problem-based theme “Micro and Nanoplastics” was used to teach the topic of Polymers. Laurence Bardin’s Content Analysis was used to analyze the data collected and prepared by the research teacher. After data collection and analysis, it was possible to conclude that the CTSA approach with a focus on Socio-scientific Issues could be a promising path to address contemporary scientific and technological topics in the high school Chemistry curriculum. Furthermore, it was also possible to identify the limiting factors of this approach in the context of the Curricular Reference of Paraná and the administrative-pedagogical organization of the school. As an associated and motivating educational product of this dissertation, an E-book was produced as supporting material for Natural Science teachers interested in using the CTSA approach with a focus on Socio-scientific Issues in their lessons. The E-book contains a description of the approach’s principles and some suggestions on contemporary topics related to Natural Sciences só that teachers can draw inspiration and develop their own lesson sequences.