Contributions of science fairs to the training of basic education students: investigating the conceptions of a group of teachers

Abstract

Science Fairs constitute a possibility of breaking with the traditional approach in scientific and technological education, being able to favor the establishment of relationships between Science, Technology and Society and the development of Scientific Literacy of students involved in the planning, execution and evaluation of this type of pedagogical activity. In this sense, this study’s main objective is to investigate, from the perspective of public school teachers in the city of of Morro da Fumaça/ Santa Catarina (Brazil), what are the contribution of participation in Science Fairs for basic education students. To this end, the perceptions of nine teachers in the area of Natural Sciences (from the areas of Chemistry, Physics and Biology) about the contributions of Science Fairs to the training of students were qualitatively investigated, through a case study whose data were produced from a questionnaire answered virtually. The responses to the data production instrument were analyzed with inspiration from Franco-Brazilian discourse analysis and Scientific Literacy categories published in the literature. It was identified that Science Fairs, in the view of participating teachers, enable the development of the conceptual, procedural and affective dimensions of Scientific Literacy, contributing to the scientific training of students. In this sense, we recommend that Science Fairs occupy a more prominent place in the planning of curricular activities in scientific and technological education, incorporating the fight against social injustices into the scope of the activity.