O ensino de conceitos científicos em espaços não formais de educação: uma experiência em um centro de educação ambiental

Abstract

The use of experimental activities have been considered essential in the teaching and learning by stimulating strong interest of students (SCHÄFER and BARBOSA, 2008; FRANCISCO FERREIRA and Hartwig, 2008). Based on the ideas of Vygotsky (1991) on the spontaneous knowledge can be transformed into scientific knowledge, educational activities addressed physicochemical aspects of water treatment in a non-formal education space, connecting scientific and technological aspects with the reality of students. The purpose of this study was to conduct experiments in microscale, which reproduce some stages of water treatment, according to the procedures performed in the water treatment of the Department of Water and Sewage Bagé / RS (flocculation, sedimentation and filtration), and using the same approach to scientific concepts of chemical reaction and gravity involved in treating the water. These experiments were conducted at the Environmental Education Center located in water treatment of Bage (ETA). The survey had a quantitative and qualitative approach, and the researcher as a participant gathering data using questionnaires, logbook and focus groups to evaluate the learning of scientific concepts and attitudes that seek to water conservation. The results of this experiment show evidence that the use of non-formal education space, in this case the ETA, together with the use of demonstrative experimentation can contribute to learning chemical reaction concepts and severity.