Feira de ciências como estratégia de inovação pedagógica para a inclusão da neurociência no contexto escolar

• Ano de defesa: 2026
• Autor(a) principal: Rosa, Patrícia Altermann Batista da
• Orientador(a): Mello, Elena Maria Billig , Carpes, Pâmela Billig Mello
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal do Pampa
• Programa de Pós-Graduação: Mestrado em Educação em Ciências: Química da Vida e Saúde
• Departamento: Campus Uruguaiana
• País: Brasil
• Palavras-chave em Português: Learning; Feira de Ciências; Inovação Pedagógica; Neuroeducação; Aprendizagem; Science Fairs; Pedagogical Innovation; Neuroeducation
• Área do conhecimento CNPq: CIENCIAS HUMANAS

This dissertation examines the effects of including neuroscience in the school context throughout Science Fairs (SF). The general objective was to understand how SFs, as a Pedagogical Innovation (PI) strategy, influence the understanding of neuroscience in teaching-learning processes in the final years of elementary school in Uruguaiana–RS, Brazil. The study adopted an action research methodology with a qualitative-quantitative approach, involving 83 students and 5 Natural Sciences teachers from four municipal schools. Students answered questionnaires before and after the interventions of the POPNeuro Program in the school SFs, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers 30 to 40 days after the activities. The selection of the participating schools took place according to the 2024 Science Fair calendar of Uruguaiana municipal network. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from the interviews were examined through Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA). The quantitative results showed a significant improvement in students’ knowledge between the pre- and post-fair moments. When analyzed by each school, knowledge gains were observed in two schools, while the other two showed no differences. These results highlight the potential of pedagogically innovative actions, such as those promoted by the POPNeuro Program, to integrate Neuroscience into the school environment. The qualitative results aligned with the quantitative data, being organized into three final categories: (i) Knowledge of Neuroscience applied to education; (ii) Science Fairs: university-school interaction; and (iii) Emancipatory and regulatory pedagogical innovation: challenges in school practice. The first category indicated greater alignment between Neuroscience knowledge and the school routine, reinforcing its importance in teacher education. The second emphasized the SFs as innovative experiences that foster a more dialogical and participatory teaching approach, while also demonstrating the value of collaboration between universities and schools. The third category revealed the limitations posed by rigid curricula, external demands and time constraints, as well as the creativity and resilience of teachers in seeking alternatives that promote an emancipatory PI. In summary, the research shows that SFs can work as innovative and formative spaces, breaking the traditional logic of content transmission. Participants perceive them as opportunities to encourage student autonomy, protagonism, and meaningful learning, bringing science closer to the school context and strengthening PI initiatives. Additionally, the study highlights the relevance of the POPNeuro Program in promoting Neuroscience in schools and the key role of the university in engaging its community to foster impactful PI actions.