Analysis of the Use of School Laboratories for the Development of Science, Health and Environment in Elementary Schools Used for Teaching Practice in the First and Second Cycles of Basic Education

Abstract

The subject Sciences, in Basic Education, constitutes the opportunity of scientifically alphabetize students, defeating the problem of scientific illiteracy that afflict a great part of the world population.

In this important mission, it plays a fundamental role the practice of this subject, such that, its study programs and text books implemented the most show suggestions for doing lab practices or little experiments; it even provides choices in case it lacks of didactic lab.

The study allowed the analysis of the use of the school laboratory – or failing this – the analysis on how teachers respond to the practical component of the subject. Consequently, it influences the availability of resources that the school has, and from the teacher, his experience, knowledge and domain of the study program as well as their personal and professional strengths and weaknesses.

It was concluded that even though the study programs suggest a variety of activities that promote experiments, the absence of the practical component in the development of this subject is still sensible; and while demonstrations, experiments and lab practices are done, these ones are still very few, repetitive, and gradually developed regarding frequency and complexity, as long as students are finishing their secondary school. There was found, moreover, that the time of teaching experience has not boosted the inclusion of the practical component in the teaching-learning process of the subject, and that the main challenge observed is the lack of accompaniment of the Ministry of Education, supplying with adequate materials and resources for establishing a school lab.