O método da quadrangulação em educação alimentar e nutricional no ensino de ciências

Abstract

The school is one of the environments in which students acquire different customs and habits. In this sense, the curricular components of Chemistry, Biology and/or Physics, which are part of the Natural Sciences area, can collaborate in the process of raising students' awareness about food and nutritional education, highlighting essential nutrients and the eventual diseases that a bad diet can cause. Therefore, it important to investigate how schoolchildren eat regularly to promote health. Given this, it is necessary to develop strategies and methods that make science teaching attractive and interesting for students. Therefore, it is believed that the Quadrangulation Method can collaborate with food and nutrition education in science teaching by correlating and connecting four levels of representation (macroscopic, submicroscopic, symbolic, and characteristics) to promote an understanding of Natural Sciences. This study aims to answer the following research problem: What contributions can the Quadrangulation Method provide for teaching food and nutrition education in science teaching? If this is possible, could the Quadrangulation Method contribute to the teaching-learning process on the subject food and nutrition education and the levels of representation of the subject? Could it represent an effective pedagogical strategy to facilitate the teaching and learning process about nutrients? Could it contribute to teaching and learning about types of food and labeling of food products? Could it assist teachers of Natural Sciences in primary education in the final years? Thus, this thesis aims to explore the applicability and possible contributions of the Quadrangulation Method as a teaching-learning strategy for the topic of food and nutritional education in science teaching. The research was carried out with two classes of 9th grade of elementary school II - matutino, from a municipal basic education school located in Santa Maria/RS. Initially, in 2021, this study was carried out through remote teaching due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, involving only five students. The following year, in 2022, it was held in person, reaching a more significant number of participants, totaling 21 students. The research carried out is considered qualitative. The analysis instruments used were questionnaires (pre and post-test), a logbook prepared by the researcher, and didactic models developed by the students. For data analysis, descriptive and exploratory qualitative-quantitative analysis and content analysis used in the context of remote and in-person teaching. The application of the Quadrangulation Method, specifically on the topic of food and nutritional education, has been shown to bring significant benefits to the teaching and learning process in science teaching by students. This study suggests that this method can contribute to the development of critical training about healthy eating in the final years of elementary school students. Furthermore, the method promotes dynamism in classes and stimulates social interaction, creativity, and critical thinking. The inclusion of the 'Level of Characteristics' allows an integrated understanding of everyday and scientific knowledge, while students can view the four levels of representation simultaneously, promoting a more comprehensive understanding of the topic covered.