Freirean Thematic Approach and the Science Teaching Through Research: possible educational end epistemological relations

Abstract

The Freirean Thematic Approach and the Science Teaching through Research (Ensino de Ciências por Investigação - ENCI) are teaching's proposals that are increasingly used in research in Science Education, because they include dialogue and problematization in the context of educational practice. In this sense, the objective is to investigate epistemological and pedagogical articulations and possible complementarities between the two proposals, with the intention to contribute to the teaching and learning of Science. From the analysis of the main structural elements of the Freirean Thematic Approach and of the ENCI, it was found that there are some similarities in their conception of the subject and object of knowledge, the concept of problem, the role of scientific conceptualization and contextualization. Just as there are some peculiarities within these aspects that characterize each proposal, such as the emphasis on conceptual dimension in the problems and in the contextualization of the ENCI and the emphasis on the social dimension in the problems and in the contextualization of the Freirean Thematic Approach. Based on these relationships, it was also possible to establish complementarities between the dynamics of the Pedagogical Moments and investigative steps of the ENCI. That is, the investigative steps of the ENCI, in particular the problems, may potentiate the Organization of Knowledge and Application of Knowledge; and the steps of the Three Pedagogical Moments, in especially, the Initial problematization, can help to leverage the conceptual problems of the ENCI, since they will be subject to a problematizing thematic (Freire, 1987) of broad significance to students. These complementation may enhance the promotion of Scientific Literacy, long-sought goal in Science teaching.