Abstracts Astronomy & Space Science

Entre o céu e a tela : contribuições da educação em Astronomia em espaços não formais para jovens da era digital em Pernambuco

by Renata Sá Carneiro Leão

Looking at the sky has always fascinated humanity, which, since the early days, has for Astronomy some predilection when it comes to interest in science. In the midst of the Digital Age (SANTAELLA, 2010; CASTELLS, 1999; SANCHEZ, 2012), however, looking at screens, whether computer or smartphone, has become an increasingly frequent habit, to the point that digital natives are called cyborgs (HARAWAY, 2009; OLIVEIRA, 2017). Would this connected youth be interested in the sky and the universe, even if mediated by Digital Information and Communication Technologies? In order to answer this and other questions, this research aimed to analyze the contributions of astronomy teaching in non-formal educational spaces for young people immersed in the digital culture in Pernambuco. Having resulted in the publication of two articles, one book chapter and the elaboration of two other articles, to be published, the thesis brings interesting considerations about the interest and behavior of 45 young people who participate or have participated in Astronomy education activities in non-formal spaces or initiatives. From the answers to a questionnaire worked from Content Analysis (BARDIN, 2011), we found that 68.9% participate in some activity related to astronomy at least once a week. At the same time, about screen time - when they use smartphones, computers and the like - 95.5% answered that they use daily, and, of these, 55.6% said they stay connected for more than four hours a day. Despite the large adherence to both the sky and the screen, only half of the youngsters said they use applications and technologies related to astronomy. Thus, we infer that, despite the engagement of young cyborgs in non-formal Astronomy activities, new epistemic relations would be necessary for the creation of teaching and learning methodologies that consider contemporary digital culture. In the case of Astronomy education, immersion in space and the affairs of the cosmos may be at a touch of the fingers or a contemplative look out the window.