Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In today's technologized and literate society, scientific literacy has been increasingly developing the social function of preparing citizens to act in the most diverse spheres of social life (SANTOS, 2007, p. 480). We understand that scientific literacy refers to the individual‟s capacities of reading, writing, comprehending and expressing points of view (Idem, p. 478), using scientific and technological knowledge in their own life (ULHÔA; GONTIJO; MOURA, 2008, p. 8). Considering the scientific literacy relevance in the current globalized society, the present work has as objective to investigate how the popularization process of language science discourse is constituted in textbooks of English as a foreign language (EFL). We consider science popularization (SP) as the recontextualization of scientific knowledge in the mass media (TV documentary, e-journal, for example) to a non-specialized audience (MYERS, 2003). The corpus of analysis is composed by six sections entitled Reading Beyond the Words from the Prime collection which were selected based on the themes citizenship and human values, according to the Textbooks Guide - TNP 2012 of Modern Foreign Language (BRASIL, 2011). The analysis of the sections is based on guiding questions about some current concepts in the field of EFL: 1) language as genre; 2) reading as critical literacy; and 3) scientific literacy. We adopt Critical Genre Analysis approach (MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004, 2010; MOTTA-ROTH, 2006) which considers the conditions of production, distribution and consumption of texts to the analysis and interpretation of the social practice constituted in a certain genre (MOTTA-ROTH, 2008a, p. 362). The results indicate that there is a perspective of language as discursive genre, for the relation text-context is present in the reading activities. The conception of reading is interactive and critical literacy perpasses some stages of reading, mainly pre-reading and post-reading activities. In relation to the while-reading stage, however the activities give space to critical literacy and interactive reading, they could have a more focused formulation on the relation among text, discursive and social practice. Scientific literacy is also timidly explored, but there is an attempt of defining some concepts of language science by means of resources such as intertextuality and semantic relations, besides activities which explore scientific knowledge when questioning, for example, about the producers, methods and products of science. Generally, there is an attempt of recontextualizing the discourse of language science in the analyzed textbooks. Thus, the language teacher plays the role of agent in the implementation of teaching towards the promotion of scientific literacy in the field of EFL, because language plays the role of mediator in learning other types of knowledge. / Na atual sociedade letrada e tecnologizada, o letramento científico vem desempenhando, de maneira crescente, a função social de preparar o cidadão para atuar nas mais diversas esferas do convívio social (SANTOS, 2007, p. 480). Entendemos que o letramento científico diz respeito às capacidades do indivíduo de ler, escrever, compreender e expressar pontos de vista (Idem, p. 478), utilizando o conhecimento científico e tecnológico no próprio cotidiano (ULHÔA; GONTIJO; MOURA, 2008, p. 8). Considerando a relevância do letramento científico na atual sociedade globalizada, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar como se dá o processo de popularização do discurso da Ciência da Linguagem em livros didáticos (LDs) de Inglês como Língua Estrangeira (ILE). Consideramos popularização da ciência (PC) como a recontextualização do conhecimento científico na mídia de massa (documentário televisivo e revista eletrônica, por exemplo) para uma audiência não especializada naquela área científica (MYERS, 2003). O corpus de análise é composto por seis seções Reading Beyond the Words da coleção Prime que foram selecionadas segundo as temáticas cidadania e valores humanos, conforme o Guia de Livros Didáticos - PNLD 2012 de Língua Estrangeira Moderna (BRASIL, 2011). A análise das seções parte de perguntas norteadoras sobre alguns conceitos correntes na área de ILE: 1) linguagem como gênero discursivo; 2) leitura como letramento crítico; e 3) letramento científico. Adotamos a Análise Crítica de Gênero (MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004, 2010; MOTTA-ROTH, 2006) que considera as condições de produção, distribuição e consumo de textos para a análise e interpretação da prática social constituída em um determinado gênero (MOTTA-ROTH, 2008a, p. 362). Os resultados indicam que há uma visão de linguagem enquanto gênero discursivo, pois a relação texto-contexto está presente nas atividades de leitura. A concepção de leitura é a interativa e o letramento crítico perpassa algumas etapas de leitura, principalmente a pré-leitura e a pós-leitura. Em relação à etapa de leitura propriamente dita, embora as atividades ofereçam abertura para o letramento crítico e a leitura interativa, elas poderiam ter uma formulação mais focada na relação entre texto, prática discursiva e prática social. O letramento científico também é timidamente explorado, mas há uma tentativa de definir alguns conceitos da Ciência da Linguagem por meio de recursos, como a intertextualidade e as relações semânticas presentes ao longo das seções, além de atividades que exploram o conhecimento científico ao questionar, por exemplo, acerca dos produtores, métodos e produtos da ciência. De modo geral, há uma tentativa de recontextualização do discurso da Ciência da Linguagem nos LDs analisados, mas ela não abrange as atividades como um todo. Desse modo, o professor de línguas desempenha o papel de agente na implementação de um ensino com vistas à promoção do letramento científico na área de ILE, visto que a linguagem desempenha o papel de mediadora na aprendizagem de outros conhecimentos.

Orientador: Rodolfo Langhi / Resumo: Esta pesquisa objetivou analisar o discurso por meio da relação transferencial entre monitores e crianças em um observatório astronômico, sob o olhar da vertente psicanalítica lacaniana, no que compreende enquanto discurso e transferência, além de dialogar com autores da área de Educação em Astronomia e da Infância, óticas fundamentais na compreensão dos sujeitos que permeiam este trabalho. Tendo como objeto de estudo o discurso, e foco de análise a relação transferencial, esta pesquisa investe no seguinte questionamento: O que as monitoras demandam das crianças para que elas adentrem na cultura científica? Esta pesquisa se enquadra no delineamento de pesquisa qualitativa com investigação em campo. A investigação teórica-metodológica fundamenta-se ainda nos referenciais da psicanálise lacaniana e da educação e psicanálise. A chegada metodológica ao discurso se dá por meio dos quatro discursos lacanianos do inconsciente que possibilitaram-nos encontrar vestígios no discurso que erigem a relação transferencial entre os sujeitos e demonstram, mesmo que parcialmente, o que as crianças demandam dos monitores nos observatórios astronômicos e como estes as inserem na cultura científica. O lócus da pesquisa foi o Observatório Didático de Astronomia “Lionel José Andriatto” da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), campus Bauru e os sujeitos são crianças da Educação Infantil visitando este espaço e os monitores responsáveis pelos atendimentos. A constituição dos dados aconteceu por me... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This research aimed to analyze discourse through transferential relationship between monitors and children in an Astronomical observatory, from the point of view of Lacanian Psychoanalysis, with regard to in what understands as discourse and transference, along with authors in the area of Astronomy Education and Childhood, fundamental optics in the understanding of the subjects who permeate this work. With discourse as the object of study and transference relationship as the focus of analysis, this research invests in the following question: What do monitors demand from children so that they can become a part of scientific culture? This research was Qualitative, with field research. Theoretical-methodological investigation was based on Lacanian psychoanalysis and Education psychoanalysis. The methodological arrival in the discourse occurs through the four Lacanian discourses of unconscious, that made possible to find traces in the discourse that erect the transference relationship among the subjects and demonstrate, even partially, what children demand from monitors in astronomical observatories and how these insert them into the scientific culture. This research was carried out at the “Didactic Observatory of Astronomy “Lionel José Andriatto” of São Paulo State University. The subjects were children of Early Childhood Education visiting this space and monitors responsible for the assistance. Data collection was made with video/audio recording and field journal. Analysis of t... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Every citizen has the right to be equipped with scientific literacy to understand and make informed decisions within the discipline of science. Educators can utilize core science teaching practices (CSTPs) to develop scientific literacy. In response, this study identified the CSTPs utilized by preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) to develop scientific literacy during their spring 2022 student teaching semester. Furthermore, this study identified contextual constructs that led to the utilization of the CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. The study used a qualitative exploratory case study using semi-structured interviews as the primary data. Surveys and artifacts were used as supporting secondary data. The identification of CSTPs and their contextual constructs were conducted using inductive content analysis. Afterward, the identified CSTPs and their contextual constructs were deconstructed, interpreted, and synthesized through the critical theoretical framework of disciplinary literacy. Relationships, time, school structure, and community were contextual constructs that enabled and disabled PSETs' utilization of CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. The contextual constructs are represented using the Framework to Develop Scientific Literacy (FDSL). The FDSL contain contextual constructs that enabled PSETs to utilize CSTPs through the sharing of power between the PSET and their cooperating teacher, school district, community, or teacher education programs. In contrast, contextual constructs that disabled PSETs include denying of power that negatively impacted the utilization of CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. The findings of the study call for teacher education programs to include contextual constructs as elements that impact PSETs' student teaching experiences to navigate power dynamics in authentic school settings. By identifying and using constructs as represented in the FDSL, teacher education programs can support PSETs' utilization of CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. In addition, this study calls for a reframing of power relationships between teacher education programs and their partnering school districts. By revealing the complex contextual nature of the PSETs' student teaching experiences, this study seeks to initiate discussion on how teacher education programs can support the practice of PSETs as they educate the next generation of scientifically literate citizens.

Photosynthesis is challenging for teachers to instruct, both among younger and older students. Students find it difficult to comprehend its chemical and biological significance for plants and ecosystems. Additionally, it is challenging to make the teaching of photosynthesis relevant and useful for students, ena-bling them to understand and engage with issues related to their everyday life and society. The purpose of this study is to exemplify how organizing purposes can be used as a support for professional experimentation to address didactic questions in one's own practice, concerning how teaching can make photosynthesis knowledge powerful for primary school students. A didactic modeling was conducted with a qualitative research approach inspired by action research, to demonstrate how the model of organizing purposes can support teachers in planning, implementing, and evaluating teaching that promotes students' pow-erful knowledge in photosynthesis. To illustrate the supportive role of organizing purposes in didactic analysis and teaching design, we conducted two complete lessons and initiated a third one. Data were collected through video recording so that the design could be evaluated, analyzed and transcribed. The teaching was conducted in a fifth-grade classroom, with a total of fourteen stu-dents participating. The instruction consisted of chemical concepts and explan-atory models, the chemical processes in photosynthesis, combustion and cellular respiration, and finally, photosynthesis related to the chemical reactions occurring in animals and plants.The results exemplify how the model of organizing purposes provided support for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the content of the lessons. In the analysis, the conceptual framework supported improvements in the teaching design. The model guided the instruction towards continuity and pro-gression and enabled clear reflection and revision of the content. One conclu-sion of the study is that exemplification demonstrates how organizing purposes can serve as a support for reflecting on how to adapt and combine the teacher’s overarching goals with the instruction, bridging to the more student-centered immediate purpose. Therefore, it is a didactic tool that can assist teachers in creating photosynthesis instruction that is relevant and interesting for students and, in many ways, enable their scientific knowledge to become powerful. / Fotosyntesen är svår för lärare att undervisa om, både bland yngre och äldre elever. Eleverna har svårt att förstå dess kemiska och biologiska betydelse för växter och ekosystem. Dessutom är det svårt att göra fotosyntesundervisningen relevant och användbar för eleverna, så att de kan förstå och agera i frågor som rör vardagslivet och samhället.Syftet med studien är att exemplifiera hur organiserande syften kan användas som stöd för professionell experimentering för att adressera didaktiska frågor i den egna praktiken, kring hur undervisning kan göra fotosynteskunskaper kraftfulla för elever i mellanstadiet. En didaktisk modellering har gjorts med en kvalitativ forskningsansats med aktionsforskning som inspiration, för att visa hur modellen organiserande syften kan stödja lärare i planering, genomförande och utvärdering av undervisning som främjar elevernas kraftfulla fo-tosynteskunskaper. För att illustrera den stödjande rollen av organiserande syften i didaktisk analys och undervisningsdesign, genomförde vi två hela lektioner och initierade en tredje. Data samlades in genom videoinspelning som underlag till att utvärdera designen, som sedan analyserades och transkriberades. Undervisningen genomfördes i en skolklass i årskurs fem, där totalt fjorton elever deltog. Undervisningen bestod av kemiska begrepp och förklaringsmodeller, de kemiska processerna i fotosyntesen, förbränning och cellandning och slutligen fotosyntesen kopplat till de kemiska reaktioner som sker i djur och växter.Resultatet exemplifierar hur modellen organiserande syften gav stöd till planering, genomförande och utvärdering av lektionsinnehållet. I analysen var be-greppsapparaten ett stöd till förbättringar av undervisningsdesignen. Modellen guidade undervisningen mot kontinuitet och progression och möjliggjorde reflektion och revidering av innehållet på ett tydligt sätt. En slutsats av studien är att exemplifiering visar hur organiserande syften kan fungera som stöd för att reflektera kring hur man anpassar och kombinerar lärarens övergripande syften med undervisningen och överbryggar till det mer elevnära närliggande syftet. Det är därför ett didaktiskt verktyg som kan stödja lärare att skapa foto-syntesundervisning som är relevant och intressant för eleverna och på flera sätt möjliggöra att deras naturvetenskapliga kunskap blir kraftfull.

In this thesis the focus is on upper secondary school students’ meaning-making in sustainability in science civic education. The aim is to study how meaning is created, if/how natural science is used and how democratic participation is constructed in students’ group discussions. The thesis also aims to create an awareness of the role science has in both the creation of meaning and the construction of democratic participation. The study is based on audio-recorded group discussions arising from two different sustainability tasks. Discursive psychology is used as an analytical framework, through the concepts of interpretative repertoires, ideological dilemmas and subject positions. The students use different interpretative repertoires that draw on different conceptions of the “world” (discourses) in their meaning-making. These different conceptions create ideological dilemmas that recur several times during the discussions and are therefore negotiated in different ways. The students then use strategies where these dilemmas are solved in a relatively simple manner. They construct the sustainability issue they discuss so that their ways to live and act/not act are portrayed as acceptable in the current situation. The students use their knowledge in and about science in their meaning-making. Science is used to make the "world" more understandable and raise questions; to evaluate, decide and act; to give authority to arguments; and to solve societal problems. The students’ science-making process contains various kinds of use of scientific knowledge, for example, clarify the conditions, identify consequences, scrutinize information, compare, assess, evaluate and use scientific methods. The discussions increase the students’ experience of using scientific knowledge and which functions scientific knowledge can have. The students construct democratic participation in various ways: trust in science and technology are expressed and awareness of what is considered as actions that are “good” for the environment; different perspectives are expressed and ideological dilemmas discussed; students use their scientific knowledge in socioscientific reasoning to create a deeper understanding of the issues discussed; scientific knowledge is also used for evaluating actions in relation to sustainability issues. However, the students see themselves having a major responsibility to act “good”, but without power to influence the development of society as a whole. The students have two projects going on during their discussions: to discuss and learn about the sustainability issue and make their own existence acceptable.

Die Arbeit begründet durch die Betrachtung empirischer Befunde die Notwendigkeit von naturwissenschaftlicher Vorschulbildung, hinterfragt und analysiert bestehendes Bildungsmaterial und entwickelt einen Umsetzungsvorschlag in Form einer Broschüre für die Bildungspraxis von Erzieher_innen. Dazu werden in dieser Arbeit Qualitätsmerkmale naturwissenschaftlicher Bildungsprozesse und naturwissenschaftlichen Bildungsmaterials herausgearbeitet und auf bestehendes Bildungsmaterial angewendet. Das Fazit diagnostiziert den bestehenden Bildungskonzepten ein naturwissenschaftliches Defizit und ein mangelndes Verständnis dafür, was naturwissenschaftliches Vorgehen ausmacht. Es stellt die Anschlussfähigkeit des erworbenen Wissens in Frage und fordert ein Umdenken in der naturwissenschaftlichen Ausbildung von Erzieher_innen.:1. Einleitung 1.1 Problembeschreibung 1.2 Fragestellung 1.3 Methodische Vorgehensweise 2. Naturwissenschaftliche Vorschulbildung in Studien, Lehr- und Bildungsplänen 2.1 Vorschulbildung in empirischen Studien 2.2 Naturwissenschaften im sächsischen Bildungsplan 2.3 Naturwissenschaft im Lehrplan der sächsischen Fachschule für Sozialwesen 3. Theoretische Betrachtung naturwissenschaftlicher Bildung 3.1 Scientific Literacy 3.2 Nature of Science 3.3 Naturwissenschaftliche Konzepte 3.4 Conceptual Change Theorie 3.5 Situationsansatz 3.6 Ziele naturwissenschaftlicher Vorschulbildung 3.7 Qualitätsdimensionen naturwissenschaftlicher Bildung in der Kita 4. Analyse und Bewertung bestehenden Materials für die Kita 4.1 Experimentierbücher 4.2 Broschüren der Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher 4.3 Experimentierkästen 5. Entwicklung eines didaktischen Mediums 5.1 Identifikation physikalischer Konzepte 5.1.1 Basiskonzept Materie 5.1.2 Basiskonzept Energie 5.1.3 Basiskonzept Wellen und Schwingungen 5.1.4 Basiskonzept Kräfte und Wechselwirkungen 5.2 Naturwissenschaftliche Denk- und Arbeitsweisen 5.3 Die physikalische Grundbildung der Fachkraft 5.4 Konzipierung des didaktischen Materials 6. Implementierung einer geeigneten naturwissenschaftlichen Bildungspraxis in der Kita 6.1 Gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz 6.2 Entwicklung professioneller Kompetenz 6.3 Verfügbarkeit geeigneten Materials 7. Zusammenfassung 8. Weiterführende Fragen Literaturverzeichnis Anhänge Anhang 1 – Übersicht der empirischen Studien zur vorschulischen Bildung Anhang 2 – Soziale Disparität in der PISA 2015 Studie Anhang 3 – Das Struktur-Prozessmodell nach Roux und Tietze Anhang 4 – Kriterien zur Bewertung naturwissenschaftlichen Bildungsmaterials Anhang 5 – Mathematische Herleitung des Archimedischen Prinzips Anhang 6 – Schatten in unterschiedlichen Beleuchtungssituationen Anhang 7 – Übersicht der physikalischen Realschulbildung Anhang 8 – Broschüre „Physik in der Kita“

Com base nos pressupostos da psicologia sociocultural, da alfabetização científica, da antropologia social e dos estudos de sociologia e filosofia da Ciência, nesta dissertação buscamos analisar como as práticas epistêmicas da ciência mobilizadas no ensino e na aprendizagem de ecologia se relacionam com as práticas epistêmicas comumente utilizadas nos estudos científicos desenvolvidos nesse campo do conhecimento; e como o engajamento com tais práticas proporcionou aos estudantes a oportunidade de se apropriar de aspectos da cultura cientifica. Neste trabalhamos também procuramos compreender como o envolvimento em uma atividade investigativa sobre dinâmica populacional propiciou a formação de uma comunidade epistêmica de práticas, na qual estudantes e professora trabalharam de maneira coletiva e colaborativa, por meio do compartilhamento e validação de práticas socioculturais (as práticas epistêmicas), valores, critérios, procedimentos, explicações, ideias, argumentos, etc. Esta pesquisa foi conduzida como um estudo de caso qualitativo. Os dados analisados nesta pesquisa foram coletados por meio de gravações audiovisuais durante as aulas de biologia do primeiro ano do ensino médio (alunos com idades entre 15 e 16 anos) de uma escola pública estadual da cidade de São Paulo. As gravações audiovisuais foram transcritas, organizadas em unidades de análise e interpretadas por meio de rubricas/descritores das categorias de análise. Nossos resultados indicam que o compartilhamento de um objetivo em comum (responder à pergunta de investigação da atividade investigativa), o engajamento com as práticas epistêmicas e os processos de validação e legitimação de técnicas, ferramentas, conhecimentos, procedimentos e evidências, conduziram o grupo sala a um processo de constituir-se como uma comunidade epistêmica de práticas. Nesse processo destaca-se o papel da professora na avaliação e legitimação das proposições dos estudantes, promovendo a consolidação da comunidade e o estabelecimento de critérios para julgamento do que conta como dado, evidência e justificativa na atividade investigativa. Este estudo também trouxe evidências de como a natureza do conhecimento que tematiza a atividade didática influenciou na mobilização de práticas epistêmicas similares às empregadas nos estudos científicos sobre dinâmica de populações. As interações discursivas dos estudantes e da professora evidenciaram um engajamento com práticas epistêmicas muito similares às dos estudos ecológicos de dinâmica de populações, como a utilização e construção de gráficos que expressam a dinâmica da população ao longo do tempo e o estabelecimento de metodologias e técnicas de contagem e amostragem de indivíduos. / Based on the assumptions of sociocultural psychology, scientific literacy, social anthropology and the studies of sociology and philosophy of science, in this dissertation we seek to analyze how the epistemic practices of science mobilized in the teaching and learning of ecology are related to the epistemic practices commonly used in the scientific studies developed in this field of knowledge; and how engaging with such practices has given students the opportunity to appropriate aspects of the scientific culture. In this work we also try to understand how the involvement in a inquiry activity about population dynamics led to the formation of an epistemic community of practices, in which students and teachers worked in a collective and collaborative way, through the sharing and validation of sociocultural practices (epistemic practices), values, criteria, procedures, explanations, ideas, arguments, etc. This research was conducted as a qualitative case study. The data analyzed in this research were collected through audiovisual recordings during biology classes of high school (students aged 15 to 16 years) of a state public school in the city of São Paulo. Audio-visual recordings were transcribed, organized into units of analysis and interpreted through descriptors of analysis categories. Our results indicate that the sharing of a common objective (answering the research question of the inquiry activity), the engagement with epistemic practices and the validation and legitimation processes of techniques, tools, knowledge, procedures and evidence led the group to a process of establishing itself as an epistemic community of practices. In this process, the role of the teacher in the evaluation and legitimation of the students\' proposals is highlighted, promoting the consolidation of the community and establishing criteria for judging what counts as data, evidence and justification in the inquiry activity. This study also provided evidence of how the nature of the knowledge that thematicised the didactic activity influenced the expression of epistemic practices similar to those used in scientific studies on population dynamics. The discursive interactions of the students and the teacher showed an engagement with epistemic practices very similar to those of the ecological studies of population dynamics, such as the use and construction of graphs that express the dynamics of the population over time and the establishment of methodologies and techniques of counting and sampling of individuals.

[pt] Este estudo compara o Letramento Científico dos estudantes brasileiros e japoneses, com base nos resultados do PISA e procura responder às seguintes as questões de pesquisa: a) Há diferenças de competência cognitiva em Ciências entre os alunos brasileiros e dos outros países, sobretudo os do Japão no PISA?; b) Existem itens do PISA 2006 que apresentam comportamento diferencial, tendo o Brasil como referência?; e c) É possível, a partir dos dados do PISA e da adoção complementar de uma abordagem qualitativa, identificar diferentes ênfases curriculares e/ou práticas pedagógicas no Ensino de Ciências de Brasil e Japão que contribuam para a compreensão das diferenças de desempenho entre seus estudantes? Para responder a primeira questão, comparamos os resultados do Brasil e do Japão nas edições 2006 e 2015 do PISA, em que o foco foi Ciências. O Brasil se mostra em situação de desvantagem em relação a quase todos os países que participaram do Programa, o que é em parte explicado pela repetência. Na escala de desempenho, o Brasil permanece no nível 1 e o Japão, no nível 3 em2006, passou para o nível 4 em 2015. Para responder à segunda questão, utilizamos a análise de Differential Item Functioning (DIF) nos itens da prova de Ciências de 2006 e concluímos que há grande presença de DIF nesses itens comparativamente entre o Brasil e o Japão. Apesar de não serem capazes de comprometer o processo avaliativo privilegiando um grupo em detrimento do outro, esses itens sugerem diferentes ênfases curriculares em Ciências. Levando em conta essa hipótese e para responder à terceira questão adotamos uma abordagem qualitativa, com observação do uso do tempo das aulas; registro das ênfases curriculares e da ocorrência de atividades relacionadas à interação, investigação, experimentação e aplicação na perspectiva dos alunos, professores e da observação; e entrevistas com especialistas e gestores. Os resultados mostraram que mais de 20 por cento do tempo oficial de aula observados no Brasil são desperdiçados com questões outras que não o ensino efetivo de Ciências; 10 vezes mais que no Japão. No Brasil, há ênfase curricular mais acentuada nas Ciências Naturais e Biológicas. O currículo é distribuído mais homogeneamente no Japão e é seccionado no Brasil. Segundo os estudantes japoneses, não são freqüentes as atividades de interação, investigação, experimentação e aplicação. As atividades mais recorrentes observadas e percebidas pelos professores japoneses são as de experimentação e interação; no Brasil, as de interação e aplicação. Entrevistas realizadas com especialistas em Ensino de Ciências e gestoras do PISA, no Brasil e no Japão, mostraram que o sucesso do Japão nessa avaliação é associado à existência de um currículo nacional comum e à formação continuada de professores em serviço, bem como às reformas do sistema educacional japonês suscitadas pelos resultados do PISA. O baixo desempenho dos estudantes brasileiros no PISA estaria, por sua vez, relacionado com o despreparo dos estudantes, com a falta de familiaridade destes com o teste, com a deficiente formação dos professores e com o limitado uso das evidências produzidas pelas avaliações em larga escala. / [en] This study compares the Scientific Literacy of Brazilian and Japanese students, based on the results of PISA and seeks to answer the following research questions: a) Are there differences of cognitive competence in Science among Brazilian students and those from other countries, especially Japan, in the PISA ?; B) Are there items of PISA 2006 that present differential functioning, with Brazil as a reference ?; and c) Is it possible, based on the PISA data and the complementary adoption of a qualitative approach, to identify different curricular emphases and / or pedagogical practices in Science Education in Brazil and Japan that contribute to the understanding of differences in performance among their students? To answer the first question, we compared the results of Brazil and Japan in the 2006 and 2015 editions of PISA, where the focus was Science. Brazil is disadvantaged compared to almost all the countries that participated in the Program, which is partly explained by the repetition. In the performance scale, Brazil remains at level 1 and Japan at level 3 in 2006 has moved to level 4 in 2015. In order to answer the second question, we used the Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis in the 2006 test s Science items and we conclude that there is a large presence of DIF in these items comparatively between Brazil and Japan. Although they are not able to compromise the evaluation process by favoring one group over the other, these items suggest different curricular emphases in Science. Taking into account this hypothesis and to answer the third question we adopted a qualitative approach, with observation of the use of class time; record of curricular emphases and the occurrence of activities related to interaction, investigation, experimentation and application from the perspective of students, teachers and observation; and interviews with experts and PISA managers. The results showed that more than 20 percent of official classroom time observed in Brazil is wasted with questions other than effective teaching of science; 10 times more than in Japan. In Brazil, there is a more pronounced curricular emphasis in Natural and Biological Sciences. The curriculum is distributed more homogeneously in Japan and is sectioned in Brazil. According to Japanese students, activities of interaction, investigation, experimentation and application are not frequent. The most recurrent activities observed and perceived by Japanese teachers are those of experimentation and interaction; In Brazil, those of interaction and application. Interviews with experts in Science Education and PISA managers in Brazil and Japan have shown that Japan s success in this assessment is associated with the existence of a common national curriculum and the teachers ongoing in-service training as well as the educational system reforms raised by the PISA results. The low performance of Brazilian students in PISA would, in turn, be related to the lack of preparation of the students, their lack of familiarity with the test, poor teacher training and the limited use of the evidence produced by the large scale evaluations.

Com base nos pressupostos da psicologia sociocultural, da alfabetização científica, da antropologia social e dos estudos de sociologia e filosofia da Ciência, nesta dissertação buscamos analisar como as práticas epistêmicas da ciência mobilizadas no ensino e na aprendizagem de ecologia se relacionam com as práticas epistêmicas comumente utilizadas nos estudos científicos desenvolvidos nesse campo do conhecimento; e como o engajamento com tais práticas proporcionou aos estudantes a oportunidade de se apropriar de aspectos da cultura cientifica. Neste trabalhamos também procuramos compreender como o envolvimento em uma atividade investigativa sobre dinâmica populacional propiciou a formação de uma comunidade epistêmica de práticas, na qual estudantes e professora trabalharam de maneira coletiva e colaborativa, por meio do compartilhamento e validação de práticas socioculturais (as práticas epistêmicas), valores, critérios, procedimentos, explicações, ideias, argumentos, etc. Esta pesquisa foi conduzida como um estudo de caso qualitativo. Os dados analisados nesta pesquisa foram coletados por meio de gravações audiovisuais durante as aulas de biologia do primeiro ano do ensino médio (alunos com idades entre 15 e 16 anos) de uma escola pública estadual da cidade de São Paulo. As gravações audiovisuais foram transcritas, organizadas em unidades de análise e interpretadas por meio de rubricas/descritores das categorias de análise. Nossos resultados indicam que o compartilhamento de um objetivo em comum (responder à pergunta de investigação da atividade investigativa), o engajamento com as práticas epistêmicas e os processos de validação e legitimação de técnicas, ferramentas, conhecimentos, procedimentos e evidências, conduziram o grupo sala a um processo de constituir-se como uma comunidade epistêmica de práticas. Nesse processo destaca-se o papel da professora na avaliação e legitimação das proposições dos estudantes, promovendo a consolidação da comunidade e o estabelecimento de critérios para julgamento do que conta como dado, evidência e justificativa na atividade investigativa. Este estudo também trouxe evidências de como a natureza do conhecimento que tematiza a atividade didática influenciou na mobilização de práticas epistêmicas similares às empregadas nos estudos científicos sobre dinâmica de populações. As interações discursivas dos estudantes e da professora evidenciaram um engajamento com práticas epistêmicas muito similares às dos estudos ecológicos de dinâmica de populações, como a utilização e construção de gráficos que expressam a dinâmica da população ao longo do tempo e o estabelecimento de metodologias e técnicas de contagem e amostragem de indivíduos. / Based on the assumptions of sociocultural psychology, scientific literacy, social anthropology and the studies of sociology and philosophy of science, in this dissertation we seek to analyze how the epistemic practices of science mobilized in the teaching and learning of ecology are related to the epistemic practices commonly used in the scientific studies developed in this field of knowledge; and how engaging with such practices has given students the opportunity to appropriate aspects of the scientific culture. In this work we also try to understand how the involvement in a inquiry activity about population dynamics led to the formation of an epistemic community of practices, in which students and teachers worked in a collective and collaborative way, through the sharing and validation of sociocultural practices (epistemic practices), values, criteria, procedures, explanations, ideas, arguments, etc. This research was conducted as a qualitative case study. The data analyzed in this research were collected through audiovisual recordings during biology classes of high school (students aged 15 to 16 years) of a state public school in the city of São Paulo. Audio-visual recordings were transcribed, organized into units of analysis and interpreted through descriptors of analysis categories. Our results indicate that the sharing of a common objective (answering the research question of the inquiry activity), the engagement with epistemic practices and the validation and legitimation processes of techniques, tools, knowledge, procedures and evidence led the group to a process of establishing itself as an epistemic community of practices. In this process, the role of the teacher in the evaluation and legitimation of the students\' proposals is highlighted, promoting the consolidation of the community and establishing criteria for judging what counts as data, evidence and justification in the inquiry activity. This study also provided evidence of how the nature of the knowledge that thematicised the didactic activity influenced the expression of epistemic practices similar to those used in scientific studies on population dynamics. The discursive interactions of the students and the teacher showed an engagement with epistemic practices very similar to those of the ecological studies of population dynamics, such as the use and construction of graphs that express the dynamics of the population over time and the establishment of methodologies and techniques of counting and sampling of individuals.

This dissertation is an empirical study of the scientific literacy of 28 young adults (aged 18-26 years) in the context of their decision making about the health risks of mobile phones. The issue of possible health effects is one of a number of socioscientific issues now confronting adults in the 'knowledge/risk' society where scientific knowledge plays an increasingly significant role in people's lives. The focus of interest is the young people's responses to the uncertain science of 'science in the making' (Latour, 1987) and their positioning of this scientific knowledge in their risk assessments. The study is based on an interactive model of the public understanding of science and applies a critical realist and moderate social constructionist methodology. Data construction included focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews. The stimulus for discussion in the focus groups was a recent television news report presenting contradictory scientific research findings about whether mobile phones pose significant health risks. In the individual interviews understanding of the nature of science and risk judgments were explored. Data analysis involved a coding of the discourse in terms of themes and issues and interpretation of these in terms of the theoretical framework of the thesis. A major finding was that these young people interpreted the uncertainty of the scientific knowledge mainly in social terms and with limited understanding of the role of theory in interpreting data. They talked spontaneously of risk but did not draw on scientific knowledge or risk estimates in their judgment about mobile phone safety. Findings have important implications for science education and suggest a broadened conception of scientific literacy which includes critical dimensions and risk literacy. It is argued that this functional scientific literacy is essential for effective citizenship in contemporary society.