Banca de DEFESA: ESTER ESTÉFANE DE SOUZA

The Use of 3D Models in Science and Biology Classes in the Public Education System

Education. Morfology. 3D printing.

The improvement of pedagogical instruments is a priority demand in Brazilian education. Educational tools emerge to enrich and consolidate the content seen in the classroom. Within this perspective, 3D models emerge to assist and innovate the study in the field of Science and Biology, through 3D printing, helping the student. Thus, this work aims to create models, through 3D printing, of representative microscopic structures of the reproductive system and the digestive tract to assist and innovate classes, respectively, for the 8th grade of elementary school II and the 1st year of high school, in the public education system. The structures were developed through the analysis of images from textbooks and virtual websites, followed by the modeling stage, with the purpose of better delineating abstract representations, using the software: Blender and TinkerCaD. After modeling, 3D printing of the structures was carried out, along with finishing using acrylic paint and colors to highlight the specificities printed on the model. Two public schools participated in the research: one elementary school I and II with two 8th-grade classes of elementary school II, and another high school with one 1st-year high school class. A total of 70 students participated in the research, with 45 students from the 8th grade and 25 students from the 1st year. Initially, to assess prior knowledge, the students answered questionnaire with questions related to the reproductive system for the 8th-grade classes and the digestive system for the 1st-year class. Subsequently, the students attended classes on these topics. In the second meeting, a practical class was held with the presentation and exhibition of 3D models of the uterus, ovary, fallopian tube, and testis for the reproductive system; as well as 3D models of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, and at the end of the meeting, the students answered questionnaire to verify their receptivity regarding the models. As a result, it was noted that the handling of the 3D pieces allowed for the recognition of the structures and specific regions of each printed model, as well as the understanding of the morphology and function of the representative organs of the reproductive and digestive systems. It is expected that the use of 3D models can add to and assist in the learning process in Science and Biology classes.