João Praia

A hipótese e a experiência científica em educação em ciência: contributos para uma reorientação epistemológica

In this paper we study the epistemological status of hypotheses and experimentation, not for the sake of epistemology but in order to better orient science teacher´s education and theirs teaching.

Problema, teoria e observação em ciência: para uma reorientação epistemológica da educação em ciência

Science teachers play an important role in forming the image of science that is held by their pupils. However, recent research suggests that quite often science teacher´s conceptions of the nature of scientific knowledge are marked by empiricist/inductivist epistemologies. Thus, the present paper aims to help science teachers to have a better understanding the epistemology of science aspects which may be relevant for their teaching, in particular, the role of the problem, the theory and its articulation with observation. Arguments in line with proposals of the new philosophy of science are developed and implications for teacher education are considered.

Teorias de aprendizagem e o ensino/aprendizagem das ciências: da instrução à aprendizagem

It is always a concern for research in the area of Educational Psychology, to understand the process of learning of the student, namely in a formal context of teaching. In this sense, the teaching of Sciences uses this area of knowledge in an attempt to ground theoretically conceptions of teaching/learning. Here, the authors attempt to underline the contribution of the learning theories in the process of learning/teaching of Sciences, specifying their influence in the perspectives of teaching that have been previously assumed. In this way, an historical description is started, referring perspectives of teaching supported in the behaviourist approach, and finish by referring cognitive-constructive theories that gave rise to teaching perspectives more focussed on the role of the student in the construction of knowledge, and for the recognition of the innate instrumental value of the curricular subjects.

A educação científica e a situação do mundo um programa de atividades dirigido a professores

A literatura sobre formacao de professores de ciencias nao tem tratado suficientemente a situacao do mundo quanto a uma percepcao global de seus graves problemas atuais. O presente artigo consiste essencialmente de um programa de atividades a ser desenvolvido com professores em formacao e em exercicio, que visa favorecer uma reflexao coletiva e conscientizacao sobre essa problematica. Nesta perspectiva e apontado um conjunto de referencias e questoes para um debate fundamentado sobre varios dos fatores associados a degradacao da vida e sobre possiveis medidas para o enfrentamento da emergencia planetaria. Investigacoes preliminares sobre a utilizacao do programa proposto tem revelado resultados favoraveis quanto a percepcao de que a educacao cientifica tem a contribuir para pensar e construir o futuro na direcao de uma melhoria da qualidade de vida.

Science Teachers’ Perceptions of the Current Situation of Planetary Emergency

During the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992 educators of every subject were asked to contribute to public awareness and understanding of the problems and challenges related to our planet’s future, in order to make possible citizens’ participation in well grounded decision-making. The purpose of our contribution is to analyse what science teachers’ perceptions are, because without correct teacher perception of the planetary crisis and its possible solutions, we can’t expect their effective implication in this dimension of education.

The Importance of History and Epistemology in the Designing of Earth Science Curriculum Materials for General Science Education

The value and importance of writing, trialling and using curriculum materials which incorporate an epistemological and historical dimension are illustrated with reference to the teaching and learning of what is widely recognised as the most recent revolution in scientific knowledge. This relates to the percursor ideas of continental drift and sea floor spreading and finally to a modern understanding of the cyclical workings of the shells of the outer parts of the Earth. These latter processes have become incorporated into what is now known in academia and even the media as plate tectonic theory. The events and factors relating to the ways in which scientific knowledge was gained during the course of this revolution (1840‐1975) and the degree to which it can be analysed in Khunian terms are outlined. The educational rationale for, and the desirability of, incorporating elements of this revolution and its epistemological origins into the Portuguese National Science Curriculum at ages 13‐14 and 15‐17 years, and the explanation of the ways in which this was carried out, are highlighted by reference to the four phases of a relatively novel curriculum model. Students’, teachers’ and teacher educators’ evaluations of the effectiveness of these procedures are explained.