Atividades de divulgação científica em aulas de química orgânica sobre automedicação

Abstract

Scientific Dissemination (DC) works to democratize knowledge and scientific literacy, which is fundamental for forming conscious citizens engaged in discussions and decisions about relevant societal issues. It transfigures scientific and technological information into accessible language, promotes the problematization of socioscientific problems, and contributes to the formation of public opinion. In schools, scientific dissemination activities, including reading Scientific Dissemination Texts, can be used by teachers to contextualize content and promote debates on relevant topics, such as self-medication, the theme of this research. This practice, growing in Brazil due to the lack of qualified professionals and political, economic, and cultural factors, can be discussed in the classroom to develop students' criticality and awareness of its impacts. Scientific literacy is essential for students to understand Chemical concepts related to self-medication and actively participate in discussions on the topic. The research was carried out at the Irmã Laura de Martins Carvalho State High School, in Canaã dos Carajás - PA, and focused on how scientific dissemination activities can promote scientific literacy in Chemistry classes for 3rd-year high school students. The specific objectives were to use scientific dissemination activities to improve the understanding of chemical concepts, identify contributions of these activities to scientific literacy, and evaluate students' perception of self-medication and its impacts on health. The research approach was qualitative and analytical-descriptive, using participant observation and content analysis according to Lawrence Bardin. The educational product developed included a didactic sequence based on the 5E method, which incorporates scientific dissemination activities to address the topic of selfmedication in Chemistry classes.