The electronic magazine “A Bioquímica como ela é” as a learning tool in science communication

Abstract

The online journal "A Bioquímica como ela é" is a scientific divulgation magazine that is currently being published with texts produced mainly by undergraduate students of Biological Sciences course-UFRGS (disciplines of Biochemistry I-A and Biochemistry Ecology I). The purpose of this project is to use the texts as a scientific literacy tool for students of the public and private elementary school, providing a different way to discover the universe of Science. In addition, motivate undergraduate students in the production of materials for scientific divulgation. In the development of the work, several texts and materials were produced, which after being created, edited, published and divulgated to the general public, were selected and applied in the elementary school classes of the public network of Porto Alegre city. As examples we can name:  "Why do dogs smell?" "(N ° 6 - Ecological Biochemistry) and "Why do we dream "? (No. 6 - Biochemistry I). In schools, students received a text corresponding to their series and a questionnaire with objective questions and a dissertation. Through the answers it was possible to notice difficulties of textual comprehension and development of the writing by the participants, because sometimes the objectives and subjective answers did not coincide. There was a good verbal feedback from the participants, showing interest in texts and subjects, probably due to the awakening of curiosity to understand ordinary facts by a light scientific explanation. In addition, the return of the participants and their difficulties helped us to guide the production of the Biological Sciences Course students aiming at a better adaptation of the texts and audiovisual materials produced. Therefore, this project fulfills its objectives of both stimulating and training undergraduate students to participate in projects of school / university interaction and scientific divulgation, as well as to develop scientific tools for fundamental education.