A prática experimental em ensino de ciências da natureza: qual relação com o saber? Uma pesquisa em escolas em tempo integral

Abstract

Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to improve science education in Brazil through experimental practices, but the literature indicates that these efforts have not been successful. There are studies that report teachers’ accounts of the difficulties in implementing such practices. Despite this, there is broad consensus that experiments have the potential to enhance students’ understanding of scientific content. Analyzing this issue from the perspective of the relationship to knowledge may offer deeper insights into the challenges faced and help identify paths for improvement. In this context, the general objective of this thesis was to investigate the relationship to knowledge among students during experimental science classes in the field of Natural Sciences and their Technologies, within the Full-Time High School program of the public education system in Aracaju, Brazil. The guiding hypothesis of this research is that experimental practices foster a more meaningful relationship to knowledge, which, in turn, promotes student engagement and more effective learning in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The theoretical and methodological framework adopted is Bernard Charlot’s theory of the relationship to knowledge (2000, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2021), which provides the analytical lens to examine the meaning and engagement elements involved in students’ participation in experimental science classes. This is a qualitative study grounded in a comprehensive approach and based on field research, using classroom observation, students’ written learning narratives (bilans de savoir), and semi-structured interviews as data collection methods. The research involved 158 third-year high school students from the public education system of the state of Sergipe. Data were collected in seven schools located in the city of Aracaju. The analysis included identifying and categorizing excerpts from the students’ learning narratives, which were then grouped into thematic categories and organized into classification grids. Interviews were analyzed both longitudinally and transversally. Observational data were also examined, leading to the construction of comparative charts across the schools. Finally, data triangulation was conducted to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the findings. The study found that well-structured classes with solid theoretical foundations foster the development of the epistemic dimension, whereas disorganized classes weaken knowledge mediation. Four ideal student types were identified, offering a broader understanding of student profiles to guide the design and management of experimental lessons. The analysis of the learning narratives led to the creation of 62 categories that mapped how students perceive experimental practices, the elements of desire and engagement, and how they build connections and structure their relationships to the world, with others, and with themselves within this context. Longitudinal interviews revealed subjective aspects of students’ relationships with school, while the transversal analysis highlighted tensions between everyday life and schooling as sources of weakened links to knowledge. On a theoretical level, this study proposed innovative analytical categories that expand the understanding of the epistemic, social, and identity dimensions of the relationship to knowledge in the context of experimental activities in science education. This contributes to advancing the theoretical field of the relationship to knowledge and points toward directions for future research.