O ensino de ciências a partir de temas com relevância social contribui para o desenvolvimento do letramento científico dos estudantes?

Abstract

Science, Technology and Society perspective has been established as one of the teaching trends that can break with traditional teaching, based on the transmission of information unrelated to the students’ reality. We developed this work to analyze the contribution of teaching based-context to the development of the students’ Scientific Literacy, based on the dimensions of the scientific literacy pointed out by Kemp (2002). For this, we developed a didactic sequence elaborated from the theme "Water". The sequence was concretized in classes of the “Adult Education" modality. As a data production tool, we filmed the classes in which sequence was developed. In addition, we asked the students to produce texts before and after the sequence, as well as we analyzed the results of the evaluation instruments used in the Chemistry discipline. We noticed evolution in student performance during class and in assessments (of knowledge), in addition a greater approach with the Science. Additionally, the analysis of the data provided strong evidence of appropriation of scientific concepts. Therefore, we argue that the thematic sequence contributed to the scientific literacy of the participating students.