Entre perguntas e investigação: a construção do pensamento científico no ensino de ciências

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the contributions of formulating investigative questions to the expression of curiosities, doubts, and inquiries of 9th-grade elementary school students in Science classes, seeking to understand how this practice promotes the development of scientific thinking and student participation in the learning process. This research is characterized as a bibliographic study, mainly grounded in the contributions of Paulo Freire and articulated with a qualitative pedagogical approach, conducted with students from a public school in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The investigation involved awareness-raising activities, the collective formulation of investigative questions, the construction of hypotheses, and the proposal of investigation strategies, as well as the analysis of 31 worksheets produced by the students containing questions, hypotheses, and possible answers. The results showed that the formulation of investigative questions enhanced student engagement, increased participation, and enabled the expression of interests related not only to Natural Sciences but also to social, emotional, cultural, and existential issues. Initial difficulties were identified in the formulation of questions and hypotheses, revealing a still limited understanding of the scientific process. It was also observed that the hypotheses presented different levels of elaboration, ranging from common-sense conceptions to initial approaches to scientific thinking. The findings highlighted the importance of teacher mediation in guiding investigative activities and revealed challenges related to pedagogical practice, particularly regarding the systematization of inquiry-based teaching. It is concluded that valuing questions as a pedagogical strategy contributes to making Science education more meaningful, participatory, and contextualized, fostering the construction of critical and reflective knowledge and strengthening students' active role in the educational process.