Do mar à sala de aula: Exsicatas como recurso didático para a promoção do conhecimento sobre macroalgas e o ambiente marinho.

Abstract

Marine macroalgae comprise a very diverse group of photosynthetic aquatic organisms that play fundamental ecological and economic roles. However, these organisms are not receiving due attention in the teaching of botany in basic education, reinforcing the lack of perception of the marine environment and consequently contributing to botanical ignorance. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the use of exsiccates as a teaching resource in promoting knowledge about macroalgae and in developing the perception of the marine environment by high school students in a public school in the city of Teresina-Piauí. The research followed a qualitative and quantitative approach, with the application of pre-test, intervention with the use of exsiccates and the application of post-test. The positive results obtained confirmed significant improvements in student performance, as evidenced in the comparative analysis between the questionnaires applied before and after the intervention. The students' reports also reinforced the importance of practical and contextualized approaches in the teaching of Botany, capable of arousing interest and promoting greater engagement with the content. It is concluded that the proposal proved to be effective in promoting knowledge about macroalgae and stimulating the perception of the marine environment among high school students.