Elaboration of a problem-situation applied to the decontamination of mercury waters present in the lands of the Yanomami indigenous peoples

Abstract

For a long time, several methodologies have been studied in order to facilitate the process of teaching and learning chemistry, which is a discipline considered complex, because the forms of teaching do not always lead the student to clearly understand this science. Considering problem solving as a proposal that contributes to the student having autonomy in classes, actively participating in the teaching process and being challenged to build new knowledge, this research addressed the use of investigative questions in experimental activities based on problem-situations. In this qualitative research, students of the discipline of physical chemistry, of the chemistry degree course, were asked to elaborate and evaluate experimental investigative activities by means of problem-situations (PS), in which the resolution of the problem was obtained experimentally, with the objective of PS replacing the traditional script of experimental class. In this work, students were asked to develop a PS with the objective of electrochemical decontamination of mercury-contaminated water on the lands of the Yanomami indigenous peoples. Since the problem-situations elaborated by the students did not meet all the proposed characteristics, the undergraduate students of this research proposed a problem-situation in which the students would have to perform an electrochemical experiment to decontaminate the water, and then some chemical analyses to confirm that the water does not contain mercury. It was found that chemistry undergraduates had difficulties in the elaboration of these problems, despite having already studied this theme in another discipline. This shows the need to intensify the study of this theme in the training of chemistry teachers.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2023.008-013