Didáctica astronomía para alfabetización científica escolar y desarrollo de pensamiento crítico en estudiantes de secundaria

Abstract

In recent decades, the human collective has undergone enormous technological transformations, which have led to major global challenges. The increasingly rapid pace of change stems primarily from the expansion of scientific knowledge. Therefore, to address the problems brought about by these abrupt changes, mastery of science is essential. In this context, the school becomes the natural setting for the development of such learning, as it is there that the foundations of the future are laid: the architects of the crucial decisions yet to be made for humanity will be the citizens whose scientific literacy elevates them to meet the challenge. This research was conducted based on the interest students show in astronomy topics; teaching this subject captures their attention and motivates them to study and deepen their understanding of science in school. However, despite this interest, there is also a noticeable lack of motivation when it comes to studying science. From this apparent disparity arises the opportunity to propose a didactic approach to the teaching of Astronomy that is both captivating and contributes to the improvement of scientific and critical thinking skills. The ultimate goal is for these students, as future citizens, to contribute to the development of a sustainable society for humanity. For this reason, the present study was approached from a qualitative perspective, within the interpretive paradigm. Given that the aim of this doctoral dissertation is to contribute new elements to the field of school scientific literacy, the research sought to establish the state of the art in astronomy didactics, along with its actors at local, national, and international levels, in order to later formulate a didactic proposal that fosters scientific and critical thinking. In addition to generating key didactic tools for the teaching and learning of astronomy, the intention is to analyze the scope and limitations of the proposal, both in the processes of school scientific literacy and in the development of students’ scientific and critical thinking skills. This will result in a higher quality of education in Natural Sciences.