Análise dos modelos materiais no ensino das Ciências Naturais a partir da epistemologia cognitivista

Abstract

Models are an important component in scientific activity. However their conceptions, classifications and role are divergent in face of many epistemological aspects which deal with model in science. Currents such as the realism and anti-realism of the philosophy of science discuss the importance of models by placing them in different levels. As a result, two theories enhance the models to such higher levels placing them with main roles in science: the Empirical Constructivism by Bas van Fraassen and the Cognitive Epistemology by Ronald Giere. After this brief explanation, it is necessary to discuss the role of these models in the natural sciences teaching, examining if these currents have a real and meaningful spot in teaching. Some researches about the scientific practice already are focused on mental models (personal abstractions of an individual). In other hand, the known ones as material models or iconic (physical objects which represents some phenomenon or theories) do not receive such attention in the researches about scientific activities and many times they are taken for granted in natural sciences. Ahead of all that this research aims to understand the real enforcement of the presented models in natural sciences teaching. To this end, an integrative review of the literature adapted for the teaching area was carried out, using all its stages: problem definition; search criteria; analysis of the content found; categorization of results; results presentation. The results presented researches about the production of physical model in sciences teaching with different spots being here categorized in four segments: Technological Resources, Alternative Methods, Accessibility and Representation. In the first three categories, the role of the model is diminished or equated with other factors such as a technique or theory which justifies its use, while in the representation category it could be observed that this model is subtly discussed in a mostly realistic perspective, however, it is known that the material model has a much greater aspect to be explored mainly for its dual function of representing and teaching scientific entities. It was concluded that material models are useful for science teaching once their function goes beyond mere illustration and they can be taught both in a realistic and anti-realistic perspective, always aiming representing the world and teaching about the world.