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Abstract(s)
O presente estudo centrou-se na análise dos nove manuais de Ciências da
Natureza do 5.º ano editados em 2010 e pretendeu identificar neles aspetos
relacionados com a natureza da ciência na dimensão epistemológica/filosófica
(mutabilidade do conhecimento científico, metodologia científica, espaços em que se
desenvolve ciência), psicológica (o sucesso, dinâmica e dificuldades do trabalho
científico) e sociológica (divulgação das descobertas, sua unanimidade e caraterísticas
humanas dos cientistas). Para tal, uma grelha de análise foi aplicada a cada manual,
contemplando as referidas dimensões, aspetos e ainda indicadores que os
operacionalizassem.
Os resultados permitiram concluir que na dimensão epistemológica, apenas foi
recorrente a referência à mutabilidade da ciência; na dimensão psicológica, apenas
quatro manuais referem que o trabalho dos cientistas tem êxitos e fracassos, mas
omitem episódios de insucesso. Só em três surge a referência ao trabalho científico
em equipa e igualmente em três se faz alusão às dificuldades e discordâncias desse
mesmo trabalho; na dimensão sociológica, seis manuais mencionam aspetos de
cooperação entre cientistas, três referem que nem sempre os cientistas chegam às
mesmas conclusões e apenas um salienta que os cientistas são homens e mulheres
comuns.
Em conclusão, muitas das ideias que têm vindo a ser discutidas acerca da
natureza da ciência na formação inicial e contínua de professores parecem ter ainda
reduzida expressão nos manuais referidos. Com esta análise, pretende-se alertar para
a necessidade de esta dimensão da literacia científica ter maior visibilidade no futuro, possibilitando uma educação científica dos nossos jovens mais completa.
Abstract The actual study focused on the analysis of the nine, fifth grade Natural Science textbooks, published in 2010 and intended to identify there, those aspects related to the nature of science, in its epistemological/philosophical (changeability of scientific knowledge, scientific methodology, areas of science development ), psychological (success, dynamics and difficulties of scientific work) and sociological dimension (the divulgation of their findings, the unanimity and human features of the scientists). In order to reach this objective, a grid of analysis was applied to every textbook, contemplating those dimensions, aspects and even indicators that would enable its operationalization. The results allowed the conclusion that in the epistemological dimension, only the mention to the mutability of science was recurrent; in the psychological dimension, only four textbooks noticed that the work of scientists had successes and failures, but left out episodes of failure. Only in three of them, scientific work as teamwork, is referred and there were also three textbooks that contain references to the difficulties and disagreements of that same work; in the sociological dimension, six textbooks mentioned aspects of cooperation among scientists; another three stated that scientists do not always reach the same conclusions and only one pointed out that scientists are common men and women. In conclusion, many of the ideas that are being discussed about the nature of science in initial and continuing training of teachers seem to have still reduced expression in those referred textbooks. The intention of this analysis, it is to alert for the need of increasing the visibility of this dimension in the future, providing a more complete scientific education of our young students.
Abstract The actual study focused on the analysis of the nine, fifth grade Natural Science textbooks, published in 2010 and intended to identify there, those aspects related to the nature of science, in its epistemological/philosophical (changeability of scientific knowledge, scientific methodology, areas of science development ), psychological (success, dynamics and difficulties of scientific work) and sociological dimension (the divulgation of their findings, the unanimity and human features of the scientists). In order to reach this objective, a grid of analysis was applied to every textbook, contemplating those dimensions, aspects and even indicators that would enable its operationalization. The results allowed the conclusion that in the epistemological dimension, only the mention to the mutability of science was recurrent; in the psychological dimension, only four textbooks noticed that the work of scientists had successes and failures, but left out episodes of failure. Only in three of them, scientific work as teamwork, is referred and there were also three textbooks that contain references to the difficulties and disagreements of that same work; in the sociological dimension, six textbooks mentioned aspects of cooperation among scientists; another three stated that scientists do not always reach the same conclusions and only one pointed out that scientists are common men and women. In conclusion, many of the ideas that are being discussed about the nature of science in initial and continuing training of teachers seem to have still reduced expression in those referred textbooks. The intention of this analysis, it is to alert for the need of increasing the visibility of this dimension in the future, providing a more complete scientific education of our young students.
Description
Keywords
Manuais escolares Natureza da ciência Dimensão epistemológica Dimensão psicológica Dimensão sociológica Textbooks Nature of science Epistemological dimensions Psychological dimensions Sociological dimensions
Citation
Barbosa, N., Almeida, A. (2015) Conceções acerca da natureza da ciência em manuais escolares do 5.º ano de escolaridade. Interacções, 11(39):418-429 .DOI: https://doi.org/10.25755/int.8749