The POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF STRATEGIES AIMING AT SOCIOSCIENTIFIC ISSUES FOR TEACHING THERMODYNAMICS: DEVELOPMENT OF A DIDACTIC SEQUENCE WITH THE PROMOTION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY

Abstract

This study investigates the validity of a teaching proposal with a STSE (Science, Technology, Society, and Environment) approach using socioscientific issues (SSIs) to promote Scientific and Technological Literacy (STL). The qualitative research was conducted with a 2nd-year high school class at a public school in Curitiba, Paraná, totaling twelve class hours over twelve meetings from September to November. The research question was: What are the potentialities and adversities of a STSE-focused teaching strategy for teaching thermodynamics using SSIs, aiming at STL? The objective was to analyze these potentialities and adversities, with an emphasis on thermal energy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and recordings of the meetings. Participants created conceptual maps based on SSIs, which served as the basis for a pedagogical puzzle game. Data analysis followed Laurence Bardin’s methodology. The proposal aimed to enhance students’ argumentation skills, guiding them to understand Physics concepts through SSIs focused on thermal energy, discussing the importance of energy, thermoelectric plants, environmental impacts, the Ukraine crisis, and alternative energy sources. The resulting educational product was a didactic sequence to promote STL. The data indicate that this sequence contributed to the development of skills such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, and spatial relationship perception, as well as teaching students to complete activities. This resulted in greater dynamism in knowledge assimilation, aligned with STL and understanding the world, enabling more conscious choices.