A produção acadêmica sobre o ensino de Ciências por investigação nos programas de pós-graduação: um olhar para a região nordeste

Abstract

In recent decades, Science Education has been the subject of discussions about the need to transform its practices, especially regarding the overcoming of transmissive models and the promotion of more meaningful learning. In this context, Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) has been identified as an approach capable of fostering Scientific Literacy (SL) by encouraging student protagonism, critical thinking, and argumentation. This study aimed to investigate the academic production related to IBSE in master’s programs at federal universities in the Northeast region of Brazil, focusing on the presence and structure of Inquiry-Based Teaching Sequences (IBTS) and their contributions to SL. It is a qualitative research of a basic nature, with exploratory and descriptive purposes, developed through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), following the steps proposed by Costa and Zoltowski (2014) and using Content Analysis based on Bardin (1977). From the analysis of 35 dissertations, four categories emerged: the thematic focus of the IBTS, the IBSE elements present in the proposals, the contributions to SL, and the role of the teacher in investigative contexts. The results indicate that, although IBSE principles are recurrent in the dissertations, there are gaps in the full implementation of its stages. The analyzed IBTS demonstrate potential to promote meaningful learning, foster cognitive and discursive skills, and bring students closer to scientific practices. The teacher's role is highlighted as essential in mediating these practices, and their continuous professional development is crucial to ensuring a critical and transformative science education.