"Desvendando o DNA da aprendizagem em escolas públicas pela óptica de um recém professor e um ex-aluno do PIBID.’’

Abstract

Genetics teaching in secondary education represents one of the main challenges in science education, particularly in the context of public schools, due to the high level of conceptual abstraction, curricular fragmentation, and structural limitations faced by teachers. A qualitative, exploratory, and interpretative approach was adopted, using interviews with eight secondary school Biology teachers as the main data collection instrument. The analysis revealed the predominance of pedagogical practices focused on memorization, an excessive emphasis on Mendelian genetics, and preparation for external examinations, to the detriment of investigative, contextualized, and critical approaches. Difficulties related to students’ lack of prior knowledge, limited instructional time, and scarcity of teaching resources were also highlighted, contributing to the fragmentation of biological knowledge. The findings indicate the need to rethink genetics teaching from an integrative, dialogical, and contextualized perspective, valuing pedagogical practices that foster critical scientific literacy and the development of socially aware individuals in the face of contemporary scientific and technological advances.