In this work, we aim to draw a panorama of the chemistry teaching area and its relation with the teaching division in SBQ 40 years. We start from the analysis of the Chemistry Teaching National Meetings in the last 15 years in comparison with those occurred in the 80’s and 90’s. Then, we present the growth of the chemistry teaching regional meetings and their capacity to congregate researchers and students in a decentralized way, important to the inclusion of new chemical educators. We discuss the scientific journals in the area considering the research on various themes. Finally, we analyze the growth of chemistry degree courses in Brazil and the number of researchers in the area, as well as the main themes explored by the research field of Chemistry Teaching in Brazil.

Este trabalho procura aproximar as Ciências Cognitivas da Semiótica de Peirce na tentativa de compreender as dificuldades apresentadas por estudantes na apropriação de processos de representação envolvidos na aprendizagem de conceitos relacionados à Química Orgânica. Busca-se, a partir do acompanhamento de disciplinas de Química Orgânica em cursos de graduação, identificar e interpretar processos cognitivos que envolvem percepção, interpretação e construção de representações estruturais a partir da semiótica de Peirce. Os resultados indicam que dificuldades de ensino e de aprendizagem em Química Orgânica não são devidas apenas a aspectos conceituais, mas, também, têm forte relação com os aspectos representacionais.

This study focuses on the contributions that the cross linking of Cognitive Sciences with Peircean Semiotics could bring for understanding students’ difficulties in the representation processes in Organic Chemistry. The occurrence of perception processes, interpretation and building representations in Organic Chemistry teaching were identified and analyzed. Our results showed that Peircean Semiotics has positively contributed to the understanding of the conceptual elaboration processes in Organic Chemistry, especially regarding language acquisition. To summarise, we concluded that the difficulties involved in Organic Chemistry didactics are associated essentially with representational aspects, while the conceptual ones play a secondary role. These factors could be perceived even for undergraduate students, where it is supposed to be less relevant.

Molecular modeling enables the students to visualize the abstract relationships underlying theoretical concepts that explain experimental data on the molecular and atomic levels. With this aim we used the free software "Arguslab 4.0.1" (semi-empirical method) to study the reaction of 1-chloropropane with ethoxide in solution, known to lead to methyl propyl ether, through the S N2 mechanism, and propene, through the E2 mechanism. This tool allows users to calculate some properties (i. e. heat formation or electric charges) and to produce 3D images (molecular geometry, electrostatic potential surface, etc.) that render the comprehension of the factors underlying the reaction's progress, which are related to the structure of the reagents, and the process kinetic clearer and easier to understand by the students