Educar pela pesquisa: as representações sociais de professores de Ciências Biológicas da UEPB Campus I

Abstract

This study addresses the Social Representations (SR) of the term “educate through research” from the perspective of faculty members in the Biological Sciences undergraduate program at Paraíba State University (UEPB), Campus I. The objective was to identify the Social Representations of “educate through research” from the perspective of these faculty members, exploring the central and peripheral aspects that structure this concept. To this end, the methodological approach was based on the Free Word Association Test (FAT) for data collection, which was analyzed using the IRAMUTEQ software, using the Prototypical Analysis technique. Furthermore, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to profile the participants and understand their experiences with this topic. The results reveal that the central core of the social representation of the term “educate through research” is structured around the concepts of “knowledge” and “science,” indicating that faculty members strongly associate this practice with the construction of knowledge and scientific development. These elements have high frequency and low average recall, suggesting that they are stable and fundamental representations in teachers’ understanding. Thus, these data contribute to the improvement of teacher training practices, in addition to fostering discussions about the importance of using research in higher education. Consequently, the final product was a digital booklet developed to disseminate the research results and promote reflection in the educational environment, aimed at academic audiences. This booklet aims to encourage pedagogical practices that integrate teaching and research in a more effective, dynamic, and sustainable manner, leveraging social media to disseminate knowledge.