Resumo Este artigo tem por objetivo apresentar aproximações teóricas entre características da técnica de mapeamento conceitual e aspectos da elaboração de conhecimento científico na História da Ciência. Tais aproximações foram exemplificadas por intermédio da construção e análise de um mapa conceitual sobre como, historicamente, o conhecimento foi desenvolvido de forma a resultar na Lei da Inércia. Como conclusão, aspectos estruturais dos mapas conceituais (proposições, estrutura bidimensional, ligações cruzadas, etc.) foram relacionados à provisoriedade do conhecimento científico, à não linearidade e à influência do contexto histórico e social na construção do conhecimento, entre outros aspectos, compatíveis com uma concepção de ciência como empreendimento humano. Tais relações são apresentadas em um quadro síntese, que pode subsidiar professores e pesquisadores da área de Ensino de Ciências a implementar ações educativas que adotem mapas conceituais em contextos em que a História da Ciência seja utilizada.

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present theoretical approaches between characteristics of the conceptual mapping technique and aspects of the scientific knowledge formulation in the History of Science. They were exemplified through the construction and analysis of a concept map about how knowledge has been historically developed to result in the Law of Inertia. In consequence, structural aspects of concept maps (propositions, two-dimensional structure, cross-links, etc.) were related to the provisional character of scientific knowledge, to non-linearity and the influence of the historical and social context in the construction of knowledge, among other aspects, that are compatible with a conception of science as a human enterprise. These relationships are summarized in a chart, which can support teachers and researchers in the field of Science Education to implement educational actions that adopt concept maps in the contexts where History of Science is used.

This work presents an analytical framework focusing on the evaluation of contributions of formative actions to teaching practice. It consists of thirteen indicators, distributed into four levels, The framework was developed from analyzing participants’ final assignment, who attended a Specialization Course in Teaching Methodology in Natural Sciences, offered in a non-formal education setting. Potentialities and limitations related to the teacher education framework are discussed, as well as its application in the context of teaching chemistry.

Research in the area of science teaching has highlighted the importance of using argumentation in the classroom, as well as preparing teachers to undertake and conduct activities of this nature. In order to bring elements that contribute to the progress of discussions about the subject, we investigated implementing and developing two teaching strategies (ludic activities and chemistry experiments) in lessons taught by pre-service teachers in supervised internships and we identified their pro-argumentation actions. The results showed that pre-service teachers not fully achieved the task of promoting argumentation practices in chemistry classes, emphasizing their ease and difficulties throughout the activity.

School science teaching has traditionally been focused on the content of science. However, recent debates about science education emphasize the importance of the nature of science and the process of argument. In order to change the emphasis in teaching science to incorporate argumentation, teachers need to adopt more dialogic approaches that involve students in discussion, and to consider how they themselves interact with students to foster argumentation skills. In this paper we examine the pre-service chemistry teachers' ability to incorporate and use argumentation in their teaching. The chemistry lessons conducted by four pre-service teachers were audiotaped and transcribed in full and the transcript sections were coded using a framework for argumentation processes. An analysis of the audiotaped lessons transcripts suggested that three factors that promoted argumentation in pre-service teachers' classrooms emerged from the data. These factors included: the role of pre-service teachers in encouraging students to share their ideas and comments, providing evidence that support students ideas, and implementing instructional strategies that give students an opportunity to articulate and support an explanation in an argument.

Atualmente os efeitos estudados pelos campos da Nanociência e da Nanotecnologia (N&N) influenciam o cotidiano do ser humano. No entanto, há ainda dificuldade por parte dos sistemas escolares em abordar esta temática, principalmente no nível de Educação Básica. Neste artigo, tecem-se considerações sobre uma metodologia de ensino de N&N baseada na aplicação de um minicurso a alunos do Ensino Médio, conjuntamente com uma variação do método de Aprendizagem Cooperativa Jigsaw, na qual se utilizou um texto de divulgação científica como eixo da atividade. Obteve-se que a junção das referidas atividades possibilitou que os alunos relacionassem e compreendessem os diferentes conceitos atrelados a N&N, formando e ampliando sua base conceitual de maneira cooperativa entre os sujeitos envolvidos no proceso.

In our days, the effects which are studied in the fields of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N) have influence on the daily lives of human beings. However, school systems still have difficulties addressing these subjects, especially at the level of basic education. In this article, a teaching methodology of N & N is discussed; it is based on the application of a short course to high school students, along with a variation of the method of Cooperative Learning Jigsaw, in which we use a scientific text as a focus for the activity. It was found that the combination of these activities enabled students to understand and correlate the different concepts related to N&N, as well as form and expand their conceptual bases in a cooperative way.