STEAM EDUCATION: UMA ALTERNATIVA PARA INTEGRAR DISCIPLINAS E DESPERTAR O INTERESSE DO EDUCANDO

Abstract

This study was motivated by concerns regarding the teaching and learning of Mathematics in the context of the 21st century, such as lack of student engagement, difficulty applying mathematical concepts in everyday situations, and the need to develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking. In light of this scenario, one of the strategies considered to enhance this educational process is the reevaluation of Mathematics teaching practices and interdisciplinary integration. In this regard, the present work focused on implementing the STEAM education methodology, aiming to spark students' interest in the discipline. The term STEAM is an acronym encompassing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, providing students with the opportunity to creatively explore these areas of knowledge in an integrated and investigative manner. The research was conducted in a municipal school in Guarapuava-PR, Brazil, which participates in a complementary education project aimed at promoting comprehensive education through public-private partnership. The guiding question that oriented the study was: "What learning indicators related to the pillars of Computational Thinking (CT) can be manifested by Elementary School students through the promotion of STEAM education activities, especially those involving unplugged computing with the use of the geoboard?" The general objective was to investigate these learning indicators, namely: decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms. In the theoretical framework, the works of Bacich (2018), Brackman (2017), Papert (1994), and Vergnaud (2009) were considered as foundations for this study. The research nature is qualitative, involving a pilot project, the application of questionnaires at the beginning and end of the research, and the implementation of the educational product. Data were obtained from students' speeches, their written productions, and the diagrams presented during the research. To interpret and analyze these data, the methodology of Discursive Textual Analysis was chosen, organizing the corpus of responses into three stages: dismantling the text, establishing relationships, and capturing the new emergent or constructing the metatext. The results demonstrate an improvement in Computational Thinking learning indicators in Elementary School after the implementation of the STEAM methodology. There was an increase in students' ability to decompose problems, recognize patterns, abstract concepts, and develop algorithms, especially with unplugged computing activities using the geoboard. Additionally, students showed greater engagement and interest in integrated disciplines, suggesting that STEAM can promote a more comprehensive and contextualized education.