DESIGN OF DIDACTIC MATERIAL FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING SITUATIONS: THE CASE OF SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE, AFRICA

Much of the didactic material of São Tomé and Príncipe for teaching and learning situations for early childhood education is not guided by interdisciplinary dialogue between design and education suitable to the country's context. A proposal is presented for a system of objects that support the early childhood education curriculum, designed to be used as a guide and supporting material for preschool teachers of São Tomé and Principe and illustrates the various ways in which design can contribute to teaching-learning processes, strengthening knowledge building through the development of artefacts, environments, and education systems. This material is one of the outcomes of the project developed by the Interdisciplinary Education Design Lab¬ (LIDE), from PUC-Rio, Brazil, using the Design in Partnership methodology for the development of curriculum content for early childhood education. The project is being developed by researchers at LIDE/PUC-Rio, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Africa, and UNICEF, and has other spheres of action, including the development of early childhood education curriculum content, ongoing teacher and assistant training courses, the recycling course offering for educators and assistants, the teaching materials project, and the redesign of physical spaces in kindergartens. This material contributes to the application of the curriculum under development.