A robótica na escola: faces e interfaces da formação científica no ensino fundamental

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the challenges and possibilities of teaching mediated by Educational Robotics as a pedagogical tool designed for teachers of the 5th and 6th grades of elementary school. Thus, the objective was to democratize innovative teaching practices through proposals that fostered the development of computational thinking and student protagonism in the school context, using Educational Robotics to design activities that contributed to potentially meaningful learning and Scientific Literacy from the early years. The educational products resulting from this research included a continuing education course in Educational Robotics titled "Learning with Robotics: Possibilities for Knowledge Construction for Teachers and Students," organized into five online lessons aimed at familiarizing teachers with programming activities and the construction of robotic prototypes for planning practical and innovative lessons. Additionally, the e-book "Robotics in School: Contributions to Scientific Education in Elementary School" was developed—a multimodal and interactive digital book divided into seven chapters, featuring reading proposals, games, videos, and interactive scripts to support teachers in planning their robotics-based lessons. The material development was carried out by correlating robotics with the different competencies and skills outlined in the curriculum guidelines of the municipality of Niterói and the National Common Curricular Base, through contextualized and interdisciplinary activities encompassing the areas of Natural Sciences, including concepts from Physics, Mathematics, and Portuguese Language. Furthermore, contributions from authors who discuss the subject and the participating teachers were considered in the research. The methodology adopted was based on a qualitative approach, grounded in action research, focusing on the construction of educational processes. The teacher-researcher worked alongside the participating teachers to understand the role of robotics as a pedagogical tool capable of sparking student interest. Through participant observation conducted with teachers and students at Escola Municipal João Brazil, it was possible to plan actions and improve the educational products. Data collection included the application of questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions directed at teachers, considering their prior knowledge. The educational product was applied and validated by 36 teachers, including those from the institution itself and from other public and private schools. The results highlighted that Educational Robotics proved to be a relevant and transformative tool, capable of promoting autonomy, digital inclusion, and stimulating students' interest in Science. Thus, it was found that Educational Robotics had the potential to contribute to improving teaching and learning for both teachers and students, as well as fostering Scientific Literacy from elementary school onward.