CONCEPTION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ABOUT THE NATURE OF SCIENCE AND EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES

This text presents a study developed from a questionnaire answered by 33 teachers from the Elementary School, from a municipality in the Vale do Taquari region, Rio Grande do Sul. The questionnaire was the initial action of a process of continuing education, with an emphasis on experimental investigative activities in the area of Exact Sciences. The focus of the qualitative study is to socialize and discuss the participants' conceptions about the nature of science and experimental activities. Based on the analysis of the responses to the questionnaire, it is possible to show a non-constructivist view of teachers about science and that they rarely propose experimental activities in their classes, mainly due to insecurity. They admit their limitation in relation to the insertion of new teaching practices in this area, declare that they have never participated in a training course about science teaching, and report a preference for participating in training where practical activities are proposed, which can be taken to the classroom. Furthermore, the experimental activities when proposed, generally aim to test or transmit knowledge related to the biological context. Such aspects may be related to the participants' mistaken understanding of the nature of science.