Concepções de licenciandos sobre ensino e aprendizagem: análise de uma disciplina de prática de ensino de ciências biológicas

Abstract

The Biology Teaching Methods course, a part of the Biological Sciences Teacher Education Program, at a Brazilian public school, was the topic surveyed during the first school semester in 2006 for the present work. The main objective was to picture the way both teaching and learning were presented during the course and to identify whatever conceptions the student teachers have about these two particular points. Characterization and analysis were obtained through systematic observation of the subject, including audiovisual registration and the recording in field notebook. Semistructured interviews were applied to identify students conceptions on teaching and learning, in a broad sense and, in a specific way, the teaching and learning of Sciences. It is noticeable that teaching and learning were topics approached several times along the development of the subject course which proved to be a space proper for the establishing of debates and reflections related to aspects of teacher education. Varied elements were obtained from the students answers. They unveiled multiple dimensions of the teaching and learning processes which could be analyzed based on several theoretical approaches, particularly from the realm of Psychology. Relationships between stated conceptions were established and common points in the answers indicated. Connections between the two research situations (observation and interviews) were pointed out. It was evident the narrow relation existing between teaching and learning and the teaching and learning of sciences.