Brilho oculto: uma análise sobre gênero e história da radioatividade em livros didáticos de ciências da natureza e suas tecnologias

Abstract

The history of radioactivity was built on the contributions of various scientists throughout different historical periods, including the participation of women whose careers were marked by countless social and structural obstacles in a field dominated mainly by men. Although they contributed significantly to the development of this area, many of them had their work minimised or rendered invisible in historical records and textbooks. Given that these teaching materials are one of the main tools for teaching chemistry and contribute to the construction of students' conceptions about science and scientists, it is essential to understand how the history of radioactivity and gender issues are presented in them. With this in mind, this dissertation aimed to analyse the historical approach to the content of radioactivity in Natural Sciences and Technology textbooks for secondary education, selected by the PNLD 2021-2024, considering how events, characters, and issues of gender and science related to the development of this field are presented in these works. The research was qualitative in nature, using the instrument proposed by Leite (2002), adapted by the author, which establishes criteria for identifying and evaluating the presence and quality of the history of science in textbooks. The results obtained indicated that the history of radioactivity is included in all the books analysed, although there are variations in the depth of the approaches and the diversity of scientists mentioned. Among the most recurring names are Wilhelm Röntgen, Antoine Henri Becquerel, Marie Curie, Pierre Curie, and Ernest Rutherford. It was observed that the materials reviewed correctly present information about the scientists, such as dates of birth and death, characteristics, awards, and discoveries, without resorting to the use of adjectives that reinforce stereotypes. In most books, scientists are presented individually, and the works use different resources, such as images of the scientists themselves, equipment and, in some cases, texts and photographs about nuclear accidents. Regarding the approach to gender and science issues, it was found that Marie Curie is the only woman present in all the books analysed, although other female scientists are also mentioned in some works. None of the books reinforced stereotypes that place women in a position of subordination to male scientists. However, in some situations, the contributions of these female researchers are presented in association with the work of their husbands or male colleagues, without due consideration of the challenges they face in scientific production. Furthermore, it was found that none of the works incorporated an intersectional perspective that considers social, cultural, and racial factors in the construction of scientific knowledge. Finally, some works present exercises that include both the History of Science and discussions on gender, without limiting themselves to issues related to conceptual content or mathematical calculations. Given this, it can be concluded that, despite the advances presented in some books, most works are limited to brief information about historical figures, with a focus on male figures. In addition, the research had some limitations, including the restricted scope of radioactivity content and the analysis of only seven PNLD books (2021-2024), which limited broader comparisons between publishers and different editions.