Saberes Docentes mobilizados por professores da Educação Infantil participantes de Feiras de Ciências no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This study explores Science Fairs and their potential as learning spaces for students, the community, and teachers. During the literature review, a significant lack of research on the subject was identified, especially with regard to the participation of Early Childhood Education, which is still little encouraged and has few records in these events. Additionally, it investigates how these events can contribute to the training of Early Childhood Education teachers, a category often overlooked and excluded from such initiatives. The limited number of articles and documents on the subject highlights this gap. In light of this, the study raises the following questions: What motivates the few Early Childhood Education teachers who participate in these fairs to develop scientific initiation projects with young children? What are the benefits of this participation for early childhood? To answer these questions, the study employed semi-structured interviews with Early Childhood Education teachers, analyzed through Discursive Textual Analysis. The results indicate the need to rethink the evaluation criteria for this category, as the same standards applied to other stages of Basic Education may not be appropriate for this audience. Furthermore, considering that initial teacher training for Early Childhood Education typically lacks an in-depth focus on science, the importance of universities in offering continuing education is reinforced. By promoting science fairs that include and empower these teachers, universities can significantly contribute to strengthening scientific culture from the earliest years of schooling.