Radiações eletromagnéticas: uma proposta para EJA baseada na Abordagem Temática Freireana

Abstract

The developed work consists of a proposal for teaching science in Youth and Adult Education (EJA), based on the Freirean Thematic Approach. This approach was chosen as it offers a perspective better suited to the reality of EJA, considering that the starting point for the construction of knowledge must emerge from the social contradictions experienced by the students. In this context, the study seeks to answer the following question: How can the Freirean Thematic Approach contribute to the teaching of electromagnetic radiation in the context of EJA? The general objective was to develop and implement a teaching proposal addressing electromagnetic radiation, its characteristics, and applications, with the aim of discussing and assessing the possible health risks it may cause, starting from a generative theme identified within the student’s lived context. To achieve this objective, a study was conducted on EJA, with theoretical foundations highlighting the ideas of Paulo Freire and his significant contributions to adult education. This research is both theoretical and empirical. The theoretical aspect involved investigating the teaching perspective of the Freirean Thematic Approach and the study of electromagnetic radiation. The empirical aspect included procedures to identify the generative theme. A questionnaire was applied to investigate which portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are most present in the students’ daily lives, followed by interviews with community residents to confirm the data obtained in the previous stage. The research stages were aligned with the adopted theoretical framework: preliminary survey; analysis of situations and selection of codifications; decoding dialogues; thematic reduction; and, finally, classroom activities. The proposal was implemented in a class of EJA students from cycles VII and VIII of elementary education. As a result, the research presents significant participant statements and the process of data analysis. The classroom implementation demonstrated that the use of generative themes is a promising approach to make the teaching of electromagnetic radiation more accessible and connected to the reality of EJA. The results were positive in linking scientific knowledge to students’ experiences, valuing their trajectories, and contributing to the formation of critical and socially aware individuals. Through the developed educational product, the study seeks to contribute and support teachers in implementing pedagogical practices that are more sensitive to the specificities of this educational modality.