Crochê educativo: confecção de modelo didático da mitose para o ensino de ciências

Abstract

Science education, particularly in the field of Cytology, continues to present significant challenges to educators at all levels of schooling due to the abstract nature of its content and the frequent lack of didactic resources in schools. The absence of laboratories, microscopes, and physical models often restricts students’ ability to visualize and understand cellular structures, hindering their learning process. In this context, active methodologies and alternative teaching tools have emerged as promising strategies to make science education more dynamic, accessible, and inclusive. This study aimed to present the development of a crochet-based didactic model representing the phases of mitosis, highlighting its pedagogical potential in comparison to traditional teaching methods. A total of forty-eight crochet pieces were created to represent cellular components such as cell bases, nuclear envelopes, chromosomes, nucleoli, centrioles, and mitotic spindles, using yarns with varied colors and textures. The resulting model proved to be lightweight, flexible, and safe, allowing for tactile and visual interaction with the structures, thus enhancing conceptual understanding and student engagement. In addition to being a viable alternative for schools with limited resources, the model also demonstrated strong inclusive potential, particularly for neurodivergent students and those with visual impairments. Therefore, crochet models represent an innovative, low-cost, and valuable educational tool for teaching mitosis and other cytology topics, promoting meaningful, interactive, and humanized learning experiences.