O novo ensino médio: possibilidades e limitações da área de ciências da natureza em escolas do campo

Abstract

This dissertation aims to understand the teaching practice in Natural Sciences and their Technologies (NST) in public Rural Education Schools (RES) in Rio Grande do Sul amidst the changes brought by the New High School (NHS), analyzing the implementation of the NHS in RES to identify the possibilities and limitations of this process. The research, structured in a multipaper format, investigates how curriculum changes impact teaching practice, school organization, and continuing education, considering the specificities of Rural Education (RE). The first chapter, the introduction, presents the research structure. The second chapter presents an overview of Brazilian research in the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) on NST teaching in High School in RES, revealing a scarcity of studies, especially in Biology, and the importance of contextualized pedagogical practices that value local knowledge. The third chapter explores teachers' perceptions of the NHS and its implementation. The analysis of the interviews reveals that, although teachers recognize the potential of the NHS to promote more flexible teaching connected to the students' reality, they also point out challenges such as the lack of specific training, the inadequacy of Learning Pathways (LP) for the rural context, work overload, and difficulty in articulating scientific knowledge with local knowledge. The analysis of teachers' perceptions also points to the need for more consistent and contextualized support for rural schools, so that the NHS can be implemented effectively and transformatively. The fourth chapter deepens the analysis of teachers' pedagogical practices. The research reveals that teachers seek interactive and contextualized teaching strategies, integrating scientific knowledge with local knowledge through projects, practical activities, and the use of the school garden. However, the implementation of LPs faces challenges such as the lack of adequate teaching materials and the disconnection of some LPs from the rural reality, requiring continuous adaptation efforts from teachers and careful attention to the specific needs of each community, demanding significant effort in creating their own resources. The fifth chapter focuses on teachers' continuing education, seeking to understand how professional development opportunities have contributed to the improvement of their pedagogical practices and their performance in the NHS context. The research reveals that, although continuing education is recognized as essential, the opportunities offered do not always meet the specific needs of RES teachers, who demand more practical, contextualized training aligned with the rural reality, and which also enable a more horizontal exchange of information to assist and support teaching practices. The sixth chapter, the conclusion, synthesizes the research findings, which indicate that the implementation of the NHS in RES presents both challenges and opportunities, with a13 pressing need for improvement in policies aimed at rural schools. For the new teaching model to reach its full potential, it is fundamental that educational policies consider the specificities of the rural context, valuing local knowledge, promoting teachers' continuing education, ensuring school autonomy, and recognizing the importance of public policies that strengthen RE. Thus, the final considerations presented in chapter six include findings that contribute to the debate on the NHS, NST teaching, and RE, offering a basis for the formulation of fairer and more effective educational policies that promote the valuing of cultural identity and the social transformation of rural communities.