Abstract:

In recent years, educational institutions have begun an arduous process of updating study programs. Several studies on curriculum development consider that no proposal will be successful if it is not accompanied by three basic elements: a permanent teacher training program, appropriate teaching materials and textbooks and a permanent evaluation program (Cooper, 2013). The project “As a matter of fact” is dedicated to the development of teaching support materials for the learning of key topics of Chemistry at the K-12 level and the first semesters of bachelor's degree.

The project consists in the design, elaboration and evaluation of thematic fascicles that, in eight pages, propose to the student the accomplishment of diverse activities, that in addition to promoting the construction of scientific knowledge, facilitate the development of scientific thinking skills, in understanding of scientific subjects of great importance such as: radioactivity, polymers and carbohydrates.
The materials we are developing aim to offer a didactic proposal that exemplifies how to address a scientific topic in the classroom. A Science-Technology-Society-Environment (CTSA) approach is used, providing opportunities for students to explore the material actively, providing only the necessary information. The activities aim to develop scientific thinking skills and problem-solving skills of issues of interest and relevance for the students' lives.

The materials elaborated consist of eight pages. In the first page, the title of the series and that of the copy is mentioned. In the second page, a diagnostic activity is presented which purpose is to motivate the interest in the subject and evaluate previous knowledge of the students. In the third page, the essential information about the topic discussed is provided to the student. Pages four to seven have a free format and, activities that allow students to solve some problematic situation are proposed. To explore phenomena related to the topic treated and, fundamentally, to the development of critical-thinking skill (hypothesis formulation, graphing, experiment design, interpretation of results, among others). Finally, on page eight, we propose the development of an investigation, to promote teamwork, the argumentation of student´s ideas and the application of knowledge built in previous activities.

In the Congress, the results of the three fascicles that are elaborated will be presented: radioactivity, acid rain and food (if there is an Internet connection, the site where they are will be displayed).

References:
[1] Cooper, M. & Klymkowsky, M. (2013). Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything: A New Approach to General Chemistry, and a Model for Curriculum Reform. Journal of Chemical Education, 90, 1116-1122.

Keywords:

e-learning, scientific thinking skills, didactic material in chemistry.