Desenvolvimento de materiais didáticos para ensino de bioinformática e alfabetização genômica no ensino médio

Abstract

Bioinformatics has been established as a fundamental field for understanding biological phenomena, particularly due to its ability to organize and analyze large volumes of genomic and proteomic data. Despite its relevance, its integration into basic education remains limited, mainly due to technical complexity, specialized language, and the predominance of the English language in available tools. In this context, the present study aimed to develop a multimodal educational material focused on teaching genetics and bioinformatics in high school, using cystic fibrosis as a model for investigation. This study is characterized as applied research, with a qualitative approach and methodological nature, resulting in the development of an educational product composed of a photo story entitled “The Mystery of the Salty Kiss” and a didactic script for genomic investigation. The proposal is based on multimedia learning theory and active learning approaches, aiming to reduce cognitive and linguistic barriers through the integration of visual elements, narrative, and step-by-step instructions. Preliminary tests conducted with the FITNOMA study group indicated that participants were able to use the proposed bioinformatics platforms, such as NCBI, OMIM, and Ensembl, identifying relevant information about the disease and the CFTR gene. Difficulties related to the use of the English language and navigation through the interfaces were observed, but were partially overcome through adaptations in the educational material. The results demonstrate that the proposal has the potential to promote scientific and genomic literacy, as well as to bring students closer to real scientific practices. It is concluded that the integration of multimodal resources and investigative activities constitutes an effective strategy for teaching complex content, contributing to the democratization of access to bioinformatics and to scientific education in the context of basic education.