The Theory of Meaningful Learning in research in the field of Nature Science Teaching: a systematic literature review

Abstract

In the present work, our objective was to characterize how the theory of meaningful learning (TML) has been used in Brazilian research in the area of Nature Science Teaching. For this, we adopted as a research method the systematic review of the literature. As a database for search, we used the Capes journal portal and as descriptors "meaningful learning", "Ausubel" and "Potentially meaningful Teaching Unit". From the application of a series of advanced search filters and, from the consideration of a series of criteria for inclusion and exclusion of articles, we analyzed a total of 16 published papers that used TML as a theoretical-methodological framework. From this analysis, we could infer that: the area of Physics Teaching corresponds to that in which the theory is most used; although less frequently, current studies are found that are based on TML; Basic Education corresponds to the level of education in which the implications of TML are most investigated, through proposals for teaching sequences; we did not find works focused on Higher Education; as an instrument for the constitution of research data, we have that the conceptual map is the most used; it is infer, in the limitation of this research, that few studies of the area in question are based on TML.