ASTRONOMIA NA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL: UMA REVISÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA EM TESES E DISSERTAÇÕES BRASILEIRAS

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study that investigated what Brazilian research reveals about Astronomy in Early Childhood Education. It is a qualitative state-of-knowledge study. Thirteen studies on this topic, retrieved from the CAPES Theses and Dissertations Database, were analyzed. The analysis was based on three a priori categories: the themes, issues, and objectives of the research; the types of research and data production; and the analysis procedures and results achieved. The findings indicate that most of the research focuses on Natural Sciences or Scientific Literacy; the authors aimed to understand the teaching-learning process and contribute specific pedagogical resources to the field. All the research was qualitative; data production was conducted through participant research, field studies, and action research. The most commonly used instruments for data collection were observations, notes, and audiovisual recordings. The primary analysis procedure was content analysis. Among the main results observed, the enhancement of Astronomy learning in Early Childhood Education stands out, either directly or indirectly, with possible connections to other areas of knowledge.