Abordagem da radioatividade nos livros didáticos de Química do PNLD 2015-2018

Abstract

The insertion of elements from the history of Science in the teaching of Science has shown to be promising and its possibilities and limitations have been pointed by many scholars of the field. Nevertheless, the science textbook, the major source of information for students and teachers, can contain mistakes and errors from the conceptual and historical point of view which helps perpetuate fake and inadequate information. In this work we seek to answer, through historiographic research and content analysis, the following question: how are the textbooks from the Brazilian national program of didactic book (PNLD) 2015 – 2018 presenting the history of Science in the teaching of radioactivity? In accordance with this question, we have as a general objective to analyze the approach of radioactivity in the historical context of science in Chemistry books of the National Program of Didactic Book (PNLD) 2015 - 2018. As specific goals, we seek to analyze the positive and negative aspects of the analyzed books, regarding the approach to radioactivity and, finally, to produce a didactic material that will contribute to the dissemination of historical and conceptual aspects of radioactivity, supplying the possible inadequacies detected in textbooks - LDs. Our research points that some of the textbooks perpetuate certain gaps when analyzed from the perspective of the theoretical references adopted. For example, when it comes to historical information, all the books have biographical information such as birth date, death, among other things. However, the LDQ1 (Textbook1) uses a publication by a renowned Science historian causing a significative effect which is capable of catching readers’ attention. The LDs show no concern in presenting relevant information about the scientists and in charactering them as ordinary people, the textbooks always praise their genius placing them as unreachable people. Another important fact is that the historical insertions in practically all copies are done loosely without a chronology of facts that can bring a full understanding of how it all happened. Some LDs use images (photos) of the scientists and images representing the experiments that help give a more historical feature on the books, but do not contextualize the resources and thus become disconnected with the content. With this, it could be observed that books cannot reach the objectives that are possible with the help of the History of Science.