Development and Evaluation of Representative Models to Build Amino Acids and Protein Structures

A set of plastic pieces to represent structures to build amino acids and proteins was developed and named as “Building Amino Acids and Proteins Molecules”. The kit was evaluated, in a first step, by graduate students using specific assessment questionnaire. This step guided the final adjustments of the plastic parts and the evaluation methodology. The last assessment of the kit was performed in a workshop for 256 teachers in the fields of natural sciences from Regional Boards of São Paulo State Department of Education. The data presented refer to the evaluations carried out by Biology and Chemistry high school teachers regarding a ludic activity consisting of the construction of tridimensional models with the kit. The evaluation results show that the material had great acceptance by the community of teachers and can become a valuable tool for teaching about amino acids and proteins structures. Regarding the answers given to the question “Would you use this material to teach this topic in high school? Comment”, 80% of the teachers chose YES and the 58 who justified their answers raised some questions concerning the use of the instructional material proposed, which will be discussed in the present work. This material has been certified and integrated the Guide for MEC Educational Technology 2008

THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL MODELS OF DNA IN CLASSROOM BY TEACHERS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The importance of the teaching of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology is evidenced by the progress of those areas and it generates a demand in the updating of science and biology teachers. In that sense, a project was proposed inside of the Public Education Program of FAPESP, in partnership with CBME.The goal was evaluate, among other educational tools, the contribution of the plastic models "Building the molecules of the life: DNA and RNA" in the teaching and learning of these concepts. Nine science teachers of public elementary schools had an updating course after which they elaborated a diagnosis questionnaire in order to subsidize the application of the activities in the classroom. The activities were planned seeking contextualize the subject in classroom, taking into account the difficulties detected in the diagnosis questionnaire. A sheet of notes was elaborated, where the teachers could record their observations and thoughts after the application of the activities, as well as their possibilities and the students' difficulties. These registers indicated that the teachers were satisfied with the use of the material, which made possible a deepened study on the content and a greater interest and participation of the students. It also allowed a reflection on their practice, glimpsing new ways to teach

THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN THE INTERACTIVE SPACE OF CBME

Considering that since the 1980’s it has a paradigm change, strengtheningthe perception of Science as a human construction and not as "natural truth", newapproaches of teaching emphasizes the importance of the History of Science inthe educational process, also recommended by the Brazilian PCNs. In thiscontext, it is presented the conclusion of the elaboration and evaluation of anillustrated historical panel that is in permanent exposition in the Interactive Spaceof Biotechnology of the CBME. It presents 25 pictures, inserted in a timeline thatselects important events related to cell biology, microbiology and immunology. Thetimeline is initiated in century XVI, with the microbial theory of the illnesses;spontaneous generation and the experiments of Needham and Spallanzani alsoare commented, as well as the production of the first vaccine. Koch, in centuryXIX, is remembered with its postulates and the discovery of some illnessescausative agents. Brazilians’ researchers - Adolfo Lutz, Oswaldo Cruz, Vital Braziland Carlos Chagas – and institutes are presented too. The panel revealed itself asan important source of information, awakening the interest of the visitors for thesubject. The idea was based on presenting Science as a human knowledgeadventure, emphasizing the scientific process in the construction of theknowledge, based on procedures, needs and different interests and values

PROFILE OF STUDENTS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND THEIR INTEREST ON BIOTECHNOLOGY

The Coordination of Education and Dissemination of CBME contributes to reduce the distance between the fast progress of the Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and the low understanding of the society about the concepts that involve these themes. Thus, to promote this connection in a conscious way, we compose a social-cultural profile of 84 students of high school (public and private) of São Carlos (SP) and we examine their interest on Biotechnology. Applying a written questionnaire, we obtained information about their access and use of computers, interest for science and their evaluation about the media’s approach, and sources of information on these subjects. From the questionnaires, we registered that 78% of the students of the public school rarely or never participated in practical classes, and 12% ignore the existence of a laboratory in the school. In the private school the scores in these two issues are practically null. About the term "DNA", 33% of the students of the public school answered "I don’t know what is this", versus 5% in the private school. However, 82% of all the students have some understanding about the "gene", with small advantage to the private school. Regarding their interest in Biotechnology, there were few discrepancies among the two schools, being verified larger reference to the following themes: "contributions for the cure of human diseases” (44%), "discoveries that help the human being" (25%), "constitution and functioning of the human body" (22%), "technological developments" (21%) and "to produce experiments" (20%). Therefore, the data showed us what are the most appropriate approaches to teaching the theme  Biotechnology and indicated which students' deficiencies should be considered on it

UPDATING HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ON GEL ELETROPHORESIS AND RESTRICTION ENZYMES

The current evolution of the science and technology generated a demand in the teachers' formation that needs constant updating. In that sense, CBME has been elaborating courses and workshops to update teachers of Sciences and Biology involving current themes.  The activities on  Molecular  Biotechnology were elaborated, especially on restriction enzymes and gel electrophoresis.  Thirty-seven teachers of public schools participated in the activities. Firstly, it was made an experiment demonstrating the digestion of a plasmidial DNA by two restriction enzymes (DraI  and  EcoRI), with the subsequent application in gel, in order to elucidate the electrophoresis technique. After the demonstration, simple and practical exercises were distributed  to the teachers to simulate those processes using paper ribbons and charts,  being  concluded with an exercise of a paternity test. A questionnaire was applied as an evaluation tool and from the teachers' answers it was observed, among other data, that 100%  of the teachers classified the activities as interesting, 43% classified the thematic as actual, 22% defined it as appropriate to their school reality and 19% pointed it as a subject on which they have doubts. Also, it was observed that the teachers felt confident dealing with the most specific subjects, when relating it with the daily events and visualizing a possibility of didactic transposition of those themes

"SYNTHESIZING PROTEINS": AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL IN THE SIGHT OF SCIENCE TEACHERS

In the current paradigm of science education, the student acquires an activeposition in the teaching -learning process, which is mediated by the teacher, whosecontinued teacher education must supply subsidies to the didactic transposition ofnew educational resources. The CBME in partnership with the Center of Scientificand Cultural Dissemination (CDCC) developed a board game that represents anoutline of an animal cell and simulates the protein synthesis through the dynamicsof several actions and component acquisition mediated by cards. To improve thisdidactic tool, the game was applied and evaluated during two courses of teachers'education in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology offered in 2006 by CBME: one inpartnership with the Educational District of Sertãozinho (DE-SP) and the otherpromoted by the UFRN, in Natal (RN). The majority of the teachers of both groupsconsidered the game applicable in classroom environment. Moreover, 59% of theSertãozinho teachers’ group and 25% of the Natal teachers’ group had detectedthe following needs: a) more evident rules; b) time of game needs to be compatiblewith the classes’ duration; c) restriction of the amount of players. Considering thepointed critics we inferred that the game already demonstrates a great educationalpotential, although it needs modifications for a better adaptation to the schoolreality