Produção do mestrado profissional em ensino de ciências naturais e matemática da UFRN (física e química/2005-2012): papel dos documentos oficiais e características dos produtos educacionais

The importance of the Professionals Master in the field of science education is revealed by the recognition that they provide, to practicing teachers, in particular, training spaces for reflection and application of knowledge. This work appears in the context of the project "Research and training in teaching science and mathematics: a cutout of academic production in the northeast and overview of formative action in basic education" on the Centre for Education program, which main objective was to conduct studies description, analysis and evaluation of the academic production of Postgraduate Programs in Science Teaching of UFRPE, UFRN and UEPB and investigate the contribution of continuing education in stricto sensu level, of graduated teachers to improve the quality of basic education . We sought to examine a cut of academic production PPGECNM / UFRN, taking as reference dissertations of Natural Sciences, finished between the years 2005 and 2012, which have developed and applied educational products for high school students. More specifically we sought to conduct a general characterization of the dissertations analyzed for basic descriptors, to understand if and how the official documents governing the Brazilian education, especially science education, subsidized development of dissertations and identify current trends for science teaching are addressed and which ones are used in preparing the product of dissertations. The survey was based on documentary analysis, a type of qualitative approach in which the documents are objects of study in themselves. The results revealed that most of the work was developed in public schools, on subjects of physics and chemistry. During analytical reading of the text of the dissertations was observed that, in its construction, most of them addressed somehow, official documents governing the Brazilian educational system, that the products are basically teaching units and teaching approaches that are more focused on Experimentation and History and Philosophy of Science

Abordando o sono no ensino médio: proposta de unidade didática contextualizada com o tema saúde

Biological rhythms are part of the life from the simplest to the most complex living beings. In humans, one of the most important biological rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle (SWC), which represents an indispensable behavior for health, since sleep deprivation can lead to deficits in attention and memory, mood and daytime sleepiness which may affect school performance. Nevertheless, the SWC is a content rarely discussed in schools. Thus, the aim of this research was to address contents of the sleep-wake cycle, related to the content of Health to encourage healthy sleep habits. This study was conducted in a public school with 33 students of the 3rd year of high school and is divided into four stages: 1st) Study and analysis of the content of the textbook adopted by the school to subsidize the activities covered in the teaching unit (TU) and approximation with the biology teacher from the class to evaluated the feasibility of schedules for the development of TU; 2nd) Survey of students' prior knowledge, through a questionnaire, to guide the development of the TU; 3rd) Development and implementation of a TU based on meaningful learning and characterization of the students sleep habits, 4th) Evaluation of the TU as a viable proposal to teach biological rhythms concepts. Previous knowledge of students about the SWC are scarce and this content is not covered in the books adopted by the school. Alternative conceptions were observed, particularly with regard to individual differences in sleep, which may contribute to the occurrence of inadequate sleep habits, as reported by the adolescents in this study. The activities developed during UD were well received by the students who showed participative, motivated and evaluated positively the procedures used by the researcher. After the TU, students' knowledge about the concept of biological rhythms has been increased and they started to identify that the SWC changes throughout life and occur due biological and socio-cultural factors. Thus, the UD elaborated in this study represents a viable proposal to teach the concepts of biological rhythms contextualized to the content of Health, in high school

Percepções ambientais de comunidades rurais e indicadores de sustentabilidade como subsídios à conservação de áreas de caatinga no Rio Grande do Norte

Environmental degradation is a global problem that particularly affects areas subject to seasonal climatic variations, such as the brazilian semiarid region, namely the Caatinga Domain. Combined with other negative factors, such as natural resource misuse and disorderly land occupation, the consequences of Environmental Degradation have challenged science in the quest for addressing the resulting social and environmental problems. Accordingly, Environmental Perception methodology, by analyzing the concepts, attitudes and values, (especially those pertaining to environmental conservation) represent an important tool in studies that address the relationship between the environment and human actions. Sustainability Indicators are also relevant tools to assess the possible causes and consequences of environmental problems. Among several Sustainability Indicators available, the PressuresState-Impact-Response (PSIR) method is an analytical tool that permits the grouping of factors affecting sustainability as well as their consequences for nature and human health, and thus indicate mitigating actions for society and the public authorities. From this perspective, three areas of Caatinga were studied in Rio Grande do Norte state: Seridó Ecological Station (ESEC), Municipality of Serra Negra do Norte; Private Natural Reserve Stoessel de Brito (PNRSB), Municipality of Jucurutu; and part of the Serra de Santana, Municipality of Tenente Laurentino Cruz. The areas are both legally protected and unprotected and subject to diferent management protocols, though their share the common characteristic of human misuse of natural resources. In this scenario, this thesis´ main goal was to introduce the rural communities into the conservation process, using the results of Environmental Perception of such communities, combined with the analysis of the sustainability of municipalities through PSIR. Information on Environmental Perception was obtained from primary and secondary data from previous studies carried out in the ESEC Seridó and PRNP Stoessel de Brito. Additional data was obtained through direct observation and interview forms applied to rural communities in the Municipality of Tenente Laurentino Cruz. The results showed that respondents possessed a broad knowledge regarding environmental degradation, its causes and consequences for the caatinga biome. PEIR analysis showed that environmental degradation was smaller in countries with protected areas, as compared to those without. The population´s knowledge about environmental degradation and their acceptance of conservation units, as showed by Environmental Perception Analysis, coupled with the results of PEIR, suggest that those attitudes may foster actions aimed at reduction of environmental degradation in the Caatinga domain