Ana V. Rodrigues, Patrícia João e Isabel P. Martins, membros do Centro de Investigação em Didática e Tecnologia na Formação de Formadores, publicaram o capítulo “Exploring Rocks and Minerals: An Experience of Integrated Educational Approach” no livro “Geoscience Education: Indoor and Outdoor”.
Abstract disponibilizado pelas autoras:
“Science education begins long before children enter school. Indeed, when children go to school, they carry out with them different learning experiences, developed in informal and non-formal contexts, that school cannot ignore. Therefore, teachers should not only consider learning experiences developed both in non-formal and informal settings but also know how to integrate them in classroom activities. The purpose of this chapter is to present a study that consisted in the conception, planning, implementation and assessment of an in-service training programme for teachers of primary school (pupils from 6 to 10 years old), in Portugal, which aimed at the development of science education integrated practices, by focusing on a specific theme of Geology, in this case “Rocks and Minerals”.
In this training programme, science education practical activities in formal, non-formal and informal contexts were explored. The programme took place in the Integrated Centre of Science Education of the “Ciência Viva” School (a public primary school) of Vila Nova da Barquinha, from April to November 2015.
This qualitative descriptive-oriented study aimed to evaluate: (1) the effects of the teacher training programme in the professional development of the in-service teachers; (2) the in-service teachers’ pedagogical practices, before and after the training programme, namely, in what concerns the theme “Rocks and Minerals”; and (3) the didactic approach proposed to be developed with primary school students.
Results indicate that the teacher training programme contributed positively to the professional development of the in-service teachers, namely, by improving their practices with regard to the integration of formal, non-formal and informal sciences education contexts, particularly in concerning the theme “Rocks and Minerals”. Regarding the approach of the theme with primary school students, which was explored in the training programme and implemented by some of the in-service teachers with their classes, results point to an appropriateness of the proposal.
It is therefore considered crucial to invest in the promotion of integrated practices of formal, non-formal and informal education, namely, on themes of Geology, in the first years of schooling.”
