Aprendizagem baseada em problemas como metodologia ativa para o ensino de eletricidade básica em um curso técnico de nível médio em eletrotécnica na forma integrada

Abstract

The use of the active methodology of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has emerged as an effective alternative for overcoming current educational challenges, such as the lack of motivation often associated with traditional and technicist teaching approaches, especially in increasingly accelerated training programs that leave little room for reflection and deeper engagement with the content. Within the framework of the Professional Master’s Degree in Professional and Technological Education in the National Network (PROFEPT), this study investigated the extent to which PBL contributed to enhancing learner engagement among students of the High School Integrate with Technical Course in Electrotechnics (HSITCE). The highlights shows how PBL encouraged research to function as a central pedagogical principle, supporting a more holistic and practice-oriented learning process that integrates human, political, aesthetic, ethical, and cultural dimensions. This approach aligns with the overarching educational aims of Professional and Technological Education (PTE) at the high school level. The research was conducted at the Federal Institute of Piauí, Parnaíba Campus, initially involved 24 students and 6 educators from the aforementioned course, who responded to group-specific questionnaires containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The collected responses were correlated to identify challenges in implementing the guiding principles of EPT at the secondary level. At a later stage, 8 students took part in PBL workshops and a focus group interview conducted to examine the feasibility of implementing the methodology at the secondary level. The objectives of this study included the development of a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on PBL in high school education, the analysis of students’ learning difficulties in the HSITCE, the implementation of PBL in a technical class, and the creation of an Educational Product (EP). Adopting a qualitative, descriptive, and action-research methodology, the analysis revealed that, when properly structured, PBL provided an integrative support mechanism between academic and professional objectives. It also facilitated a formative pathway anchored in the contextualization of real-world situations, consistent with the principles of PTE, particularly the role of research as a pedagogical principle, praxis, and the collaborative discussion of topics and solutions, including within the scope of a professional program in the field of electricity. Yet, the path in advancing a more robust implementation of PBL continues to be challenging when considering factors such as infrastructure, teacher training, and learning materials. In that way, the culture of active methodologies still requires a shift away from a traditionally technicist model, shifting to a model that supports pedagogical coherence among educators and integrates study materials that provide a framework for holistic learning. Based on these findings, an EP was developed, titled Didactic Guide: Instrumentalizing PBL in High School for PTE, designed to support the constructive and purposeful use of PBL in high school integrate with technical education programs.