Nem tudo que reluz é ouro: fluorescência da curcumina para aprendizagem significativa no ensino de Bioquímica direcionada a estudantes do Ensino Médio

Abstract

In the Brazilian High School system, Biology is part of the Natural Sciences and their Technologies area, along with Chemistry and Physics, which should be addressed in an integrated fashion. During the teaching and the learning process, we face many situations where students are unable to establish direct correlations among the three basic dimensions worked in Biochemistry: the submicroscopic, microscopic, and macroscopic levels, consequently hindering satisfactory learning. Searching for a way to develop inquiry-based learning in Biochemistry education, this study was conducted with high school students using an investigative teaching sequence (ITS) organized in three stages that created learning situations which are able to connect the three dimensions, linking them to the daily routine. The students' understanding about the solubility of curcumin, a substance present in our cuisine, and its potential application in clinical approaches, such as promising methods for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease, were explored. The project was previously approved by the local ethics committee (number 70201123.9.0000.5149) and, during its execution, students were exposed to various dimensions of the proposal, from its molecular level to social implications. During the execution of the study, a significant increase in students’ understanding was realized, as well as the increase establishment of connections between theory and practice, related to the concepts of solubility, fluorescence, and the interactions of curcumin with biomolecules, in addition to the integration of prior knowledge to new and complex information related to the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. The present work demonstrated that when students are exposed to an investigative and contextualized pedagogical approach, they are capable of relating theoretical scientific knowledge to practical applications of Biochemistry in daily life.