Analysis of a Didactic Unit regarding its framework Science-Technology-Society and Critical Thinking Orientation

Abstract

The present work had as objective to evaluate a didactic unit about the plastics theme regarding its framing in the criteria established by Vieira and Tenreiro-Vieira (2011) in relation to the planning of a didactic sequence through the use of different activities and teaching strategies Science-Technology-Society/Critical Thinking (STS/CT) orientation. The analysis indicated that the theme on which the activities were based presented social relevance, as it has several socio-environmental, political, economic and ethical implications. In this way, the didactic unit also made it possible for students to establish STS relationships that involve the theme, as it sought to relate, mainly, socio-environmental issues to the scientific and technological knowledge inherent to plastics. In addition, the material was developed based on questions asked by students about what they would like to know and what doubts and curiosities they had about plastics, configuring themselves as potentially of interest to students. The didactic unit presented methodological pluralism, using different teaching and learning strategies to address the theme of plastics, such as questioning, showing videos, reading texts and articles, group discussions, guided research and conducting a simulated jury. The activities also made it possible to appeal to the capacities and attitudes of critical thinking, through questioning and other activities in which students needed to investigate, identify facts, exemplify, infer conclusions and explanatory hypotheses, argue, in addition to attitudes such as respecting other points of view. Therefore, it was found that the teaching unit meets the criteria established by the authors for the development of materials with STS/CT orientation.