O uso dos mapas conceituais como recurso didático no ensino de Biologia

Abstract

The teaching and learning strategies chosen by the teachers can help or hinder the pedagogical relationship. Therefore, it is interesting that students are encouraged to build their knowledge autonomously, through the appropriation of different methods of study that assist them. In this perspective, the methodology of conceptual maps based on the theory of meaningful learning arises. The purpose of this study was to motivate reflection on the use of diverse pedagogical strategies in developing, applying and evaluating the use of the methodology of conceptual maps in virtual learning environments as a pedagogical strategy complementary to the teaching and learning process of the contents of the 1st and 2nd grade of the discipline of Biology. The study was conducted in three stages throughout the 2018 school year. In the initial stage, workshops were offered on the theory of meaningful learning, familiarizing students with the concept mapping technique. Then, during the second stage, 186 students produced their own conceptual maps related to the contents of Biology taught throughout the school year. 1173 conceptual maps were constructed. All the works were previously oriented and later analyzed, evaluated and commented by the teacher in a forum of the virtual environment of learning of the school. In some cases, students' conceptual maps were also commented on by their colleagues, favoring the collective construction of knowledge. 91.5% of the MCs proposed were delivered on time. The mean of the evaluation of the work was 7.36 ± 1.17 and 8.94 ± 1.34 for the 1st and 2nd grade, respectively. The student's result in the activities demonstrates that the guidelines given during the initial stage were enough for the students to adapt easily with the use of the methodology of conceptual mapping. The last stage occurred at the end of the school year, in which a questionnaire about the students' conception regarding the use of the concept map methodology was answered by 56 volunteers. The analysis of the answers of the questionnaire shows that the students consider the technique as a good study strategy for the discipline of Biology and that most of them intend to continue its use in other disciplines as well. Thus, this study concludes that the use of conceptual maps in virtual learning environments is a valid strategy complementary to the teaching of biology, but dependent on investments in educational technology, with the respective training and proactivity of education professionals.