Ensinando ciências fora da escola: uma investigação sobre o estado de conhecimento dos professores da rede municipal de Curitiba a respeito dos espaços não-formais de ensino de ciências da cidade e região metropolitana

Abstract

There are several non-formal spaces of science education in Curitiba and metropolitan region and few studies about teachers' knowledge regarding these places and their articulation with the schools. In this context, considering the importance of these spaces in the teaching-learning process, this study aimed to assess the current state of knowledge of science teachers from 6th to 9th grade of municipal public middle schools from Curitiba regarding non-formal spaces related to this curriculum component and elaborate, based on the data obtained, a resource that assists them in planning activities involving these locations. In light of the literature we initially conducted a bibliographic study on the education modalities - formal, informal and non-formal -, the history of museums and science centers in Brazil and in the world, and also the relationship between museums and schools and educational possibilities of these locations. We collect data for research using a printed questionnaire containing open and closed questions, applied to science teachers from 6th to 9th grade of middle school in the months of March and April 2013.Through statistical analysis and content , we found that there are several demands among teachers with regard to support and planning visits to places of non-formal science education, such as lack of knowledge about many spaces in the region where they operate, current knowledge regarding the possible contribution of these sites to the process of teaching and learning and an interest in a feature that centralizes information about these locations as well as provide suggestions for activities to prepare for the visit and resumption of content. To create the product, we visited in the months of July and August, 27 spaces of non-formal science education in Curitiba and metropolitan region and interviewed their managers and staff about the educational possibilities of these locations and other information. Based on the collected data we developed a website for science teachers of final grades of elementary school containing suggestions for didactic sequences involving these places and providing a reference that assists teachers in the use of these spaces in their planning, encouraging learning outside of the room class.