Investigando o desenvolvimento da concepção de nanomundo no ensino fundamental

Abstract

In this work, the development of the nanoworld’s conception was studied among pupils primary school. Considering that this issue is not included in the scholar resumes, and also that it has a very abstract character, a set of distinct activities was structured and applied to the pupils in four meetings. The purpose of these activities was to provide information about the subject, allowing the pupils to reach their own conclusions about the nanoworld instead of limiting themselves to ready answers. During the accomplishment of these meetings, some pedagogical instruments, such as conceptual maps, for example, were applied with the purpose to collect data about the construction process of the pupils and to assist them to organize their own ideas. These instruments, as well as a list with the relevant topics to be discussed, were used to formalize a protocol, which was useful to the analyses of the construction process of each pupil in each stage. After the application of the analyses` protocol, it was observed that the previous conceptions of the pupils about the subject were very limited. However, the intervention was significant because, in the end of the activities, the majority of the pupils hod only not ha a clear idea about the nanoworld’s conception, but also they could related to it many other pertinent concepts as electronic microscopy, scales, magnification, applications and benefits of the nanotechnology in the cure of illnesses.