Do Ensino Básico ao Superior: potencialidade didática do Herbário EAC no ensino-aprendizagem de Botânica

Abstract

Herbaria comprises collections of pressed, dehydrated and preserved plants, called exsiccates. They are primarily used with the aim of documenting plant diversity for research in different areas, such as morphology, taxonomy, ecology, among others. Additionally, they also constitute valuable tools for teaching Botany and related areas, especially after the implementation of the National Common Curricular Base, which directly impacted the space allocated for Botany in the curricula. Therefore, the objective of this study was to understand the potential of the Prisco Bezerra Herbarium as an educational tool for teaching-learning Botany. For this purpose, a quantitative-qualitative research was conducted, through which the record of visits to the Prisco Bezerra Herbarium (EAC) was verified, along with the perceptions of 80 students from the Biological Sciences course at the Federal University of Ceará, based on the application of a questionnaire with 14 questions. The results revealed that, from 2010 to 2024, the herbarium recorded 66 visits, of which 21 Basic Education classes and 45 undergraduate classes. Regarding the perceptions of the students interviewed, the majority (72.5%) stated that the herbarium is little used as a teaching tool for the training of Biological Sciences students, however, students understand that the herbarium is a promising resource for teaching-learning Botany. Through this study it was possible to answer how the role of the herbarium in teaching contributes positively to awakening students’ interest in Botany and related topics.