Dificuldades e perspectivas para a pesquisa no ensino de química no Brasil

Abstract

Science education is complex and challenging teachers, scientists and educators. The research in chemistry education has an important contribution to solve problems of this important area. Understanding that to teach chemistry, not just knowing the contents of this science, but not enough to know the tools and teaching strategies coming from education and other humanities and social sciences, it is necessary balanced integration of these areas of knowledge to find viable answers to the process of teaching and learning. Research in chemistry education in Brazil has gained in the last years a driving force that comes from increasing critical mass of those involved in research, but also by increasing the quality that many researches have achieved in the country and in partnership with other researchers internationally. In this work we examined the views of a wide range of academics that consider themselves researchers in chemistry education on difficult and perspectives of research in chemistry education in Brazil (also called Teaching Chemistry area). Although the 250 researchers who responded to a questionnaire (Brazilian Registration of Researcher in Chemistry Education), sent by the teaching division of SBQ (Brazilian Chemistry Society), is a survey with several questions of numerical nature, in this paper we will focus on two open-ended questions and we will content analysis of qualitative nature. The results point to methodological and technical difficulties, and fault of recognition from the academic community. However, most have an optimistic (64%) or challenge (12%) view for the future of research in chemical education in Brazil. The positive perspective based on the human dimension and the results of research in this area vital for the future of Brazil.