O ensino por investigação e o protagonismo estudantil no ensino de biologia: conhecimentos teóricos e práticos sobre as abelhas nativas

Abstract

Knowledge about native bees is very scarce, despite the fact that they are fundamental to the environment, so it is important that high school students have contact with this group of animals during their biology lessons. Bees belong to the Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Arthropoda, and are considered invertebrate animals of the class Insecta. Their bodies are divided into three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera, with around 115,000 species described to date. Bees are fundamental in the process of pollinating plants. Some species such as the Apis genus, have a stinger. Other species such as the native bee species, are stingless bees (ASF). Bees have been greatly harmed by the actions of men, who destroy their habitat through burning and deforestation and even in the search for honey. Individuals with knowledge about native bees are hard to find, despite the fact that bees are fundamental to the environment. The aim of this research was to develop students' sense of leadership and inquiry-based teaching through activities involving native bees, while highlighting the importance of bees in the environment through the pollination process carried out by them. With this in mind, work was developed with 28 students from the 2nd year of high school, at ECIEEFM José Vitorino de Medeiros, located in the municipality of Sossêgo, in the state of Paraíba. The theoretical-methodological basis for this research was qualitative research. The data was collected using a diagnostic questionnaire administered to the students, as well as through participant observations during the research process, through a focus group. To this end, theoretical studies were developed in line with practical lessons on native bees. To develop the activities, ten guiding questions were used to come up with a hypotheses. Active methodologies were used and include inverted classroom, practical lessons on native bees, genus Apis, and wasps, as well as the construction of a meliponary at the school, which served to bring students closer to native bees and to promote better teaching and learning through the activities carried out. Students were placed as leaders throughout the construction process of the meliponary which will promote further studies on environmental education at the school. Activities were developed as part of an investigative didactic sequence (SDI), which was transformed into a Teaching Guide to be used by other basic education teachers. The activities provided the students with opportunities to develop leadership skills throughout the course of the lessons. Students also benefited from being immersed in the investigative teaching that was carried out. In line with this, the students were able to develop the necessary knowledge that can be used inside and outside of the school setting. This research makes us realize that it is possible to develop practical activities with students, while allowing them to be leaders and multipliers of learning in their communities.