Orientadora: Profa. Dra. Fernanda Franzolin / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa De Pós-Graduação em Ensino, História, Filosofia das Ciências e Matemática, 2016. / O ensino de Ciências por investigação (ENCI) é uma abordagem didática que tem sido recomendada mundialmente. Pode ser implementado pelos professores por meio de atividades em que os alunos investigam um problema proposto e tentam buscar hipóteses, soluções e considerações para respondê-lo. O objetivo principal dessa pesquisa é investigar as possibilidades apresentadas e os desafios enfrentados na realidade dos professores dos Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental na implementação de atividades investigativas no ensino de Ciências. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa colaborativa predominantemente qualitativa com 20 docentes atuantes nos Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental. A pesquisa foi feita a partir da análise de conteúdo de dados provenientes de um formulário de concepções prévias preenchido pelas professoras, registros de um curso de formação continuada e dados de um estudo de casos múltiplos envolvendo três das participantes. Foram evidenciadas diversas possibilidades na implementação de atividades investigativas, como: atrelar o ensino de Ciências com outras disciplinas; desenvolver atividades experimentais em escolas sem laboratório de Ciências; trabalhar questões sobre a natureza da ciência; entre outras. Foram evidenciados também alguns desafios, como: repertório de ideias escasso; dificuldade em adaptar as atividades investigativas à rotina escolar; encontrar a melhor forma de aproveitar os erros em atividades investigativas; grande cobrança para as disciplinas de português e matemática; entre outros. Espera-se que as considerações e questionamentos oriundos desta pesquisa possam contribuir com futuros trabalhos para a elaboração de políticas públicas educacionais de modo a fazer com que a abordagem didática seja constantemente aperfeiçoada, para que se amplie o conhecimento do fenômeno de implementação do ensino de Ciências por investigação e para sua valoração diante de professores e pesquisadores da área. / Inquiry-Based Learning is a didactic approach that has been recommended worldwide. Can be implemented by teachers through activities in which students investigate a proposed problem and try to seek hypotheses, solutions and considerations to answer it. The main objective of this research is to investigate the possibilities presented and the challenges facing the reality of teachers in Elementary School in the implementation of inquiry activities in science education. For this, a predominantly qualitative collaborative research with 20 active teachers in Years of Basic Education was held. The survey was conducted from data content analysis from a form of preconceptions filled by teachers, records of a continuing education course and data from a study of multiple cases involving three of the participants. Several possibilities in the implementation of inquiry activities were highlighted, such as pegging the teaching of science with other disciplines; develop experimental activities in schools without science lab; work questions about the nature of science; among others. They were also highlighted some challenges, such as: repertoire of little ideas; difficulty in adapting to the school routine investigative activities; find the best way to take advantage of errors in investigative activities; great collection for the disciplines of Portuguese and Mathematics; among others. It is expected that the considerations and questions arising from this research can contribute to future work for the development of educational policies in order to make the didactic approach to be constantly improved, in order to expand the knowledge of the implementation phenomenon of science teaching for research and for its evaluation before teachers and researchers.

Nos últimos anos aumentou o número de pesquisas que abordam aspectos epistemológicos no ensino de ciências, destacando a ideia de que este não deve se preocupar somente com a aquisição de conceitos, mas também deve possibilitar que os alunos se apropriem das práticas epistêmicas da ciência, favorecendo assim a Alfabetização Científica. As páginas que se seguem apresentam um estudo de caso qualitativo planejado e realizado para compreender como se dá o engajamento dos alunos em práticas epistêmicas da cultura científica. Nosso principal objetivo foi analisar as práticas de inscrição realizadas pelos alunos e suas relações com a produção de explicações e argumentos durante uma atividade investigativa sobre crescimento populacional de Lemna sp. Os dados da pesquisa foram coletados durante as aulas de biologia em duas classes do primeiro ano do ensino médio (alunos com idades entre 15 e 16 anos) de uma escola pública estadual da cidade de São Paulo. A análise da sequência didática e dos relatórios produzidos pelos alunos nos forneceu evidências de que as práticas epistêmicas experimentadas pelos alunos ao longo da atividade de investigação diferem a depender do tipo de dado coletado por eles, se de acordo com o modelo explicativo já conhecido ou diferente do previsto pelo modelo. Além disso, nossa análise evidenciou que o contexto de investigação constitui-se como importante repertório interpretativo das inscrições literárias produzidas pelos alunos, favorecendo a construção de explicações com garantia nos dados coletados. O contexto de investigação também se mostrou relevante na construção de argumentos, uma vez que a maioria das justificativas utilizadas era de natureza empírica, especialmente nos relatórios dos alunos que trabalharam com dados não previstos pelo modelo explicativo. Assim, após análise da sequência didática e dos relatórios produzidos pelos alunos, encontramos evidências de que a atividade de investigação propiciou oportunidades de engajamento em práticas epistêmicas da cultura científica, especialmente aquelas relacionadas à produção e intrepretação de inscrições literárias, o que favoreceu o processo de construção de explicações e argumentos, práticas fundamentais na produção do conhecimento científico. / In recent years increased the number of researches on epistemological aspects in science teaching, emphasizing the idea that this shouldn\'t be concerned only with the acquisition of concepts, but should also enable students to take ownership of epistemic practices of science, favoring so the Scientific Literacy. Here, is presented a qualitative case study planned and conducted to understand how is the engagement of students in epistemic practices of scientific culture. Our aim was to analyze the application of practices carried out by students and their relationship with the production of explanations and arguments during an investigative activity on growth of Lemna sp population. The data were collected during biology classes from high school classes in a public high school, São Paulo city, Brazil (students aged: 15 to 16 years). The analysis of the inquiry-based learning activity and reports produced by the students provided us with evidence that the epistemic practices experienced by the students during the research activity differ depending on the data type collected by them, in accordance with the explanatory model already known by students or different predicted by these model. In addition, our analysis showed that the research context constitutes an important interpretive repertoire of literary inscriptions produced by the students, favoring the construction of explanations to assure the data collected. The research context was also relevant in the construction of arguments, since most of the justifications used was empirical, especially, in the reports of the students who worked with data not provided by the explanatory model. So after a review of inquiry-based learning activity and reports produced by the students, we found evidence that this inquiry-based learning activity led engagement opportunities in epistemic practices of scientific culture, especially those related to production and interpretation of literary inscriptions, which favored the process of construction of explanations and arguments, fundamental issues for the production of scientific knowledge.

A educação científica tem se voltado para atividades pedagógicas que utilizam a prática investigativa de alunos. Um dos objetivos é que os estudantes se apropriem não apenas dos conceitos científicos, mas também das práticas específicas da atividade científica. Uma das pretensões é que os alunos desenvolvam a competência da argumentação científica. Esta investigação pretende compreender como os alunos desenvolvem sua argumentação escrita, analisando a utilização que fazem dos dados como evidências da seleção natural de forma a sustentar suas conclusões na resolução de questões investigativas sobre evolução biológica. Elaboramos uma sequência didática cuja arquitetura estabelece os alicerces para a ação pedagógica do professor e promove uma atuação investigativa dos alunos. A arquitetura da sequência tem duas bases integradoras: a) a educação científica baseada em investigação e b) a matriz de construção histórica da investigação de Darwin sobre a seleção natural como mecanismo da evolução biológica. Para investigar como seria o ensino da evolução biológica que recupera o viés da matriz investigativa utilizada por Darwin, nossa questão-problema foi construída com dois grandes focos: a) como articular intenções conceituais e metodológicas características da natureza das ciências biológicas com a abordagem dos principais obstáculos da construção histórica do conceito de seleção natural numa sequência didática baseada em investigação e b) de como é a utilização de dadosT como evidências da seleção natural na composição da estrutura argumentativa escrita de alunos de ensino médio durante a aplicação de uma Sequência de Ensino de Biologia Baseada em Investigação (SEEBI) para o ensino de evolução biológica. Para investigar nossa questão, elaboramos a SEBBI que foi aplicada por uma professora da rede pública para 125 alunos da 3ª série do ensino médio de uma escola pública estadual de São Paulo. Nossa metodologia é de abordagem qualitativa integrada a uma abordagem quantitativa. Nossos dados compõem-se de: a) materiais (apostilas, modelos experimentais, elementos audiovisuais utilizados nas aulas) e b) apostilas com respostas escritas pelos alunos após as atividades propostas. As análises foram realizadas a partir das apostilas escritas dos alunos, dos materiais elaborados e disponibilizados na SEBBI e na transcrição que realizamos. Os resultados mostram que a SEBBI tem alicerces em intenções conceituais e metodológicas características da biologia. Além disso, os resultados apontam para uma superação de obstáculos conceituais pelos alunos, como a teleologia cósmica e o fixismo, para a construção do conceito de seleção natural. Os resultados das análises apresentam uma melhora na capacidade argumentativa dos alunos, uma forte correlação entre o uso de dados de evolução biológica com a construção de argumentos de maior qualidade pelos alunos, pelo uso de justificativa (garantia e apoio) alicerçada em conhecimento científico. Há evidências da ampliação da construção de argumentos, tanto no aumento do número de componentes utilizados quanto na qualidade dos componentes campos-dependentes da ciência, como o apoio e evidências. Os argumentos construídos passam a apresentar a sustentação baseada em apoio conceitual específico do paradigma das ciências biológicas como a seleção natural, validando as conclusões a partir do uso de dadosT de Toulmin da investigação realizada pelos alunos. / The scientific education has focused on pedagogical activities that use students investigative practice. One of the objectives is so that students not only obtain the scientific concepts, but also the specific practices of science activity. It is a pretention that students develop their scientific argumentation competence. This investigation aims at understanding how students develop their written argumentation, analyzing their use of data as evidence of natural selection in order to sustain their conclusions about biological evolution investigative questions. We made a didactic sequence, which architecture establishes the foundation to the teachers pedagogical actions, and promotes students investigative actions. The sequence lies on two integrative bases: a) an investigation based scientific education and b) Darwins investigation on the natural selection as a mechanism of the historical construction matrix of biological evolution. In order to examine how would it be the biological evolution teaching based in Darwins investigative structure, our problem question was built with two main focuses: a) how could we articulate conceptual and methodological intentions, characteristic to biological sciences, with the approach of the main historical obstacles of natural selection in evolving into the concept of the mechanism of biological evolution in a didactic sequence based upon inquiry and b) how it is the use of data as evidence of natural selection in the high school students written argumentative structure during the application of Inquiry Based Biology Teaching Sequence (SEEBI, in Portuguese) to biological evolution teaching. To investigate our task, we developed a SEEBI that was applied by a public networks teacher to 125 high schools senior year students in a public school of São Paulo. Our methodology has qualitative and quantitative approaches. Our data consists of: a) materials (textbooks, experimental models, audio-visual resources used in class) and b) booklets with answers written by the students after the proposed activities. The data analyses were based upon these booklets, with students written answers, materials elaborated and posted in the SEEBI and also in the transcription we did. The results show that SEEBI has its foundation lied on conceptual and methodological intentions, characteristic to Biology. Furthermore, the results indicate an overcoming of conceptual obstacles as well, such as cosmic teleology and fixism, therefore, building the concept of natural selection as a mechanism of biological evolution. The study of the consequences presents an improvement in students argumentative ability, a strong correlation between the use of data from biological evolution with the construction of higher quality arguments by the students, using justifications (warranty and theoretical support) grounded in scientific knowledge. Theres evidence of an expansion of the arguments construction, both increasing the number of used components as well as the field-dependent components of sciences quality, such as support and evidence. The arguments constructed shall provide support based on specific conceptual assistance in paradigms of Biology, like natural selection, validating the findings from the use of data (Toulmin, 2006) in researches conducted by students.

The results of the international study TIMSS (The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) raise concerns that Czech primary pupils fall behind in some content domains of science (namely the physical sciences) and in some skills (experimental skills). This thesis compares the Czech curriculum with the current international trends in the science education and shows that above mentioned topics/skills are not sufficiently covered in the official curriculum. The second part of the thesis describes a case study of a relatively successful implementation of innovative science lessons focused on these skills in three primary classrooms of a Czech school. The concepts of inquiry-based learning, theory of learning materials and lesson study method are the main components of the theoretical and conceptual background of the study. When comparing the Czech curriculum (official documents and textbooks used in school) and school curricular plans with the TIMSS framework, it emerges that both the national curricular framework and the school curriculum do not cover some of those upper mentioned. Based on these findings, a lesson plan introducing some of the missing areas and task types was developed and tested in a particular school. The qualitative research desigh of case study with embedded...

Implicit in the call for educational reform in the teaching of social studies has been the suggestion that pursuing inquiry-based principles will lead to improvement in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two types of pedagogy: traditional and inquiry-based upon student achievement as measured by a standards-based, state administered examination. Second, this study examined the relationship between the treatment teachers' level of implementation and student achievement. A nonequivalent control group posttest and experimental design was used in this study. Subjects involved in this study include 84 secondary American history teachers and their respective students from a large urban public school district in Texas. The sample consisted of two groups, one taught by traditional/didactic instruction (n=48) and the other taught by inquiry-based pedagogy (n=36). Data for this study were collected using a classroom observation protocol based upon the level of use rubric developed by the concerns-based adoption model. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) (p<.05) was used to measure the effects of inquiry-based instruction and traditional pedagogy on student achievement. Student achievement results were measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for American history, grades 8 and 11. The study found that mean scores of the Grade 8 History Alive! group were significantly higher than the scores of the control group, but not for the Grade 11 History Alive! group. However, a comparison of mean scores by teachers' level-of-use suggested that the more faithful the teacher in designing standards-based lessons and delivering them through inquiry, the greater retention of American history student's knowledge about the subject.

This study investigates the effectiveness of an inquiry-based learning curriculum for middle school students with learning and/or attentional disabilities (LD and/or ADHD). The main questions asked were: To what extent can an inquiry-based learning curriculum focused on digital responsibility impact: (1) well-being; (2) smartphone usage; and (3) smartphone awareness among adolescents with LD and/or ADHD? Fifty middle school participants with LD and/or ADHD were divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group. Findings showed a significant increase both in positive affect and in awareness of personal smartphone usage for experimental, but not control, participants, suggesting that inquiry-based learning may be an effective approach for teaching digital responsibility to students with LD and/or ADHD. Other findings indicated that social connectivity is a high priority for today's adolescents. Additional insights and implications are discussed.

5 ABSTRACT: The present thesis deals with history textbook usage in lower secondary school classes. It focuses on the work methods in French history books and their possible application within the Czech system while taking the pupils' perspective into consideration. The theoretical part introduces history instruction in France and work methods used in their textbooks. The focal point of the thesis is its practical part, a case study of two study units that were prepared based on French textbooks; "Townsmen, trade and slavery" and "Women and feminism in 19 th century". These were taught in two year-eight history classes. The results and discussion consist mainly of the analysis of work outputs and pupils' feedback on the used materials. The conclusion outlines possible means of inspiration for Czech schools by the French methods analysed in the case studies. KEY WORDS: Secondary school history History textbook History didactics French textbooks Inquiry-based learning Constructivist teaching

Educators are increasingly focused on the process over the content. In science especially, teachers want students to understand the nature of science and investigation. The emergence of scientific inquiry and engineering design teaching methods have led to the development of new teaching and evaluation methods that concentrate on steps in a process rather than facts in a topic. Research supports the notion that an explicit focus on the scientific process can lead to student science knowledge gains. In response to new research and standards many teachers have been developing teaching methods that seem to work well in their classrooms, but lack the time and resources to test them in other classroom environments. A high school Physics teacher (Bradford Hill) has developed a unit called Patterns in Nature (PIN) with objectives relating mathematical modeling to the scientific process. Designed for use in his large public school classroom, the unit was taken and used in a charter school with small classes. This study looks at specifically whether or not the PIN unit effectively teaches students how to graph the data they gather and fit an appropriate mathematical pattern, using that model to predict future measurements. Additionally, the study looks at the students' knowledge and views about the nature of science and the process of scientific investigation as it is affected by the PIN unit. Findings show that students are able to identify and apply patterns to data, but have difficulties explaining the meaning of the math. Students' show increases in their knowledge of the process of science, and the majority develop positive views about science in general. A major goal of this study is to place this unit in the cyclical process of Design-Based Research and allow for Pattern in Nature's continuous improvement, development and evaluation. Design-Based Research (DBR) is an approach that can be applied to the implementation and evaluation of classroom materials. This method incorporates the complexities of different contexts and changing treatments into the research methods and analysis. From the use of DBR teachers can understand more about how the designed materials affect the students. Others may be able to use the development and analysis of PIN study as a guide to look at similar aspects of science units developed elsewhere.

In 2010, Oregon Department of Education (ODE) developed a set of rubrics designed to score a state required performance assessment targeting Science Inquiry (SI) and Engineering Design (ED) skills. During the development of the rubrics, ODE invited six panels of teachers to provide feedback on an early draft of the rubrics. This case study analyzed the teachers' feedback and the revisions of the rubrics to identify the types of feedback teachers offered and how ODE used that feedback to develop the rubrics. The results showed the teachers' feedback focused on defining the skills students were asked to demonstrate and distinguishing levels of student performance. There was clear evidence that the teachers' feedback had a substantial impact on the development of the rubrics. These results suggest that teachers can add substantial value during the development of a state issued assessment tool.

The implementation of scientific inquiry in the high school classroom has proven to be not only relevant and exploratory, but challenging and engaging as well. This style of curriculum design has been recognized as a primary means of achieving the goals and objectives set by the National Resource Council (NRC, 1996). While much research has shown that science inquiry helps students to gain understanding of content knowledge, little research has been conducted to assess gains in higher order thinking skills, specifically those related to data analysis (Anderson, 2002; Germann and Aram, 1996; Hofstein, Navon, Kipnis, and Mamlok-Naaman, 2005; Miner, Levy, and Century, 2009; Windschitl, Thompson, and Braaten, 2008; Zohar and Dori, 2003). Through a better understanding of the scientific inquiry process as well as insights into students' struggles with data analysis, we can better understand how to effectively implement strategies in the classroom that encourage the higher order thinking skill of data analysis. This mixed methods, multiple-case study investigated teacher practice in eight high school science inquiry units in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area and the data analyses that students produced in their accompanying work samples. The results of this study indicate that students struggle to produce proficient analysis and interpretations of data. The areas of student struggle were in the areas that required higher order thinking: analyzing results, drawing conclusions, and communicating results. Furthermore, this research discusses areas of data analysis instruction that may benefit from professional development opportunities.