SCIENTIFIC LITERACY, PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AND CITIZENSHIP: A SUGGESTION FOR GEOGRAPHY STUDIES TEACHING

In this paper we will present a part of our thesis: a proposal of problem based learning inside the Geography teaching as an alternative way to the scientific literacy and the citizenship. The research was developed under the context of Elementary School and the Middle School I and II teacher training, and it can contribute to a higher and wider reflection on propositions to the improvement of pedagogical practices and the learning of scientific concepts. This proposal can allow a link between practice and theory: help to organize classes, not just emphasizing the content, but the learning of some scientific concepts and, at the same time, the abilities and proceedings linked to different areas of knowledge. Scholars dealing with teaching (Lambros, 2002; Leite & Esteves, 2006, and others) have been showing that this methodology enable the students a more independent and meaningful learning of scientifical concepts, helping them to develop the competencies and abilities linked to the logical reasoning and cooperation. We will present two different cases to discuss if this methodology can allow an integrated learning process and if they contribute to an improvement of the teaching.