Junior scientific initiation:

contributions to citizen formation and to the teaching of chemistry to students of basic education

Abstract

Scientific Initiation in initial training is an important tool for the development of students' scientific and critical knowledge, with impacts on the social and school spheres. This qualitative research aims to highlight the relevance of the participation of Basic Education students in scientific research, seeking to identify the contributions to the growth of their chemical and social knowledge. The reflections made are based on the analysis of reports obtained through questionnaires applied to students from state public schools in the city of São Mateus, Espírito Santo, who have already been scholarship holders of the Junior Scientific Initiation Program focused on the area of chemistry. The results obtained showed that the students' participation in the program provided intellectual growth and maturation in teamwork, in addition to expanding knowledge and enabling new experiences. The students also reported that the contact with teachers and university students aroused an interest in entering higher education and, in some cases, motivated the choice of their academic future. The participation of high school students in scientific research projects contributed to the construction of knowledge, assisting in studies and in the development of critical thinking, promoting curiosity and creativity, and stimulating the construction of autonomy and critical sense. The program also contributed to the formation of students' citizenship, as they began to rethink their actions and behaviors in the environment in which they live, which resulted in personal and social growth.