Laboratórios de química como espaço pedagógico e sua trajetória no Campus Manaus Centro do IFAM

Abstract

This research investigated the importance of the chemistry laboratory as a pedagogical space and its trajectory at the Manaus Centro Campus of the Federal Institute of Amazonas (CMC/Ifam), with the aim of recording, analyzing, and preserving the memory of this pedagogical space. The organization and memories of pedagogical spaces in Professional and Technological Education constitute a field of investigation that has been gaining relevance in the educational literature, due to its contribution to the understanding and improvement of educational practices. Based on many years of professional experience working in the chemistry laboratory at CMC/Ifam, it was possible to observe different pedagogical practices and laboratory procedures adopted by teachers who worked in the chemistry laboratories, which motivated the development of this dissertation research. The objectives of the research were to analyze the teachers' perception of the role of chemistry laboratories as a pedagogical space in Professional and Technological Education and to construct the trajectory of the chemistry laboratories at CMC/Ifam, with an emphasis on preserving the memory of this pedagogical space. The investigation began with document analysis to support discussions on the topic, including an analysis of the laws that constituted vocational education and an overview of the CMC/Ifam, the research site. The participants were five female teachers who were working at the CMC/Ifam between 2009 and 2019. The methodological approach adopted was qualitative research, according to Sampieri, Collado, and Lucio (2013), using semi-structured interviews. According to Minayo (2010), this type of interview allows participants to express themselves freely, manifesting favorable or unfavorable positions on the topic, without being strictly restricted to the questions asked. For data analysis, Textual Discourse Analysis (TDA) was applied, according to Moraes and Galiazzi (2016), as it is a methodological approach focused on the interpretation and understanding of discourses produced by subjects, enabling the construction of new meanings from texts through a systematic process of dismantling, categorizing, and reconstructing information. The results obtained from the research showed that the chemistry laboratory constitutes an essential pedagogical space for the construction of scientific knowledge, since it enables the integration between theoretical content and practical activities. The chemistry laboratories of CMC/Ifam have consolidated themselves over the years as a pedagogical space for learning and investigation, enabling the realization of practical classes integrated with theoretical disciplines. In the development of the research, an e-book entitled "The Erlenmeyer that Kept Memories" was structured as an Educational Product. In it, a character named Erlen playfully recounts the history of the chemistry laboratories at CMC/Ifam, as well as the essential concepts of memory, pedagogical space, and laboratories. It also includes an interview with the five teachers, in which they reflect on the importance of their journey in the chemistry laboratories at CMC/Ifam.