A imagem pública da Química: estudo sobre as visões de graduandos e suas implicações para o ensino e a divulgação científica

Abstract

Philosophical reflections on chemistry, its distinctive character in relation to other sciences, and its social impacts throughout history are important for promoting a richer and more authentic view of chemistry for teachers and students. Addressing epistemological issues can favour reflections on the Public Image of Chemistry, dispelling reductionist conceptions that associate it with stereotypes, environmental disasters, and other negative connotations disseminated in society and the scientific community. This study aimed to understand undergraduates' views on chemistry and its nature when they reflect on the public image of chemistry and its implications for teaching and science communication. The research adopted the assumptions of a qualitative approach and pedagogical intervention research, from the planning to the implementation of the empirical data collection stages, which was conducted in the context of a training course with chemistry undergraduates at the Chemistry Institute (IQ) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The data collection instruments included a questionnaire, written productions in the context of didactic-pedagogical activities and recordings of discursive interactions with the students over four consecutive days of the course, which totalled ten hours. The data was organized and examined in the light of Discursive Textual Analysis, further supported by a heuristic tool for analysing conceptions of chemistry. In the context of chemistry teaching, the results showed that, in addition to identifying views on chemistry, the conceptual profile of chemistry proved useful for analysing the Public Image of Chemistry in epistemological and socio-cultural terms, extending this characterisation beyond the positivenegative dichotomy. In addition, the experience suggested that relating the Public Image of Chemistry to aspects of the Nature of Chemistry can contribute to the epistemological foundation of teacher training. With regard to science communication, the didactic activity resulted in cultural communication texts, with the presence of elements characteristic of science communication discourse. Therefore, we point to the Philosophy of Chemistry as an epistemological foundation for training chemistry teachers and science communicators.