Banca de DEFESA: MARCO ANTONIO VIEIRA DE REZENDE

Activities and Geopolitical Actions Aimed at Technical-Scientific Education in the Space Sector

STEAM; Education; Scientific divulgation; Careers in Science and Technology; Government Actions.

The world has undergone economic, political and social changes in a more intense and accelerated way since the beginning of the globalization of communications, with the advent of artificial satellites. These changes directly reflected on the dynamism of education despite the class model still being quite prescriptive and dogmatic, not encouraging students to become protagonists in the learning process. Interest in Science and Technology, as well as space exploration, is often related to subcultures that adopt specific entertainment media rather than actual scientific research as a vocational incentive. With few young people pursuing careers in math and science, there is a shortage of qualified professionals working in aerospace S&T. However, there are strong indications that it is possible to reverse this situation through innovative educational initiatives, some of which are already being implemented around the world. Believing that betting on young people is creating alternatives for a different world, various entities, public or private, in different countries, turned to the search for motivational and low-cost projects. Ludic activities and the STEAM methodology (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) present an interesting tool to help reverse the current situation and bring these students closer to Exact and Earth Sciences courses, as well as space activities. This dissertation presents, at first, the analysis of interesting models used worldwide. The STEAM model, with an operational focus, addresses activities aimed at stimulating curiosity, based on a new learning approach, which value multidisciplinarity in the classroom, as well as use practices in workshops aimed at the focus of “hands-on” activity. ”. The MANAGEMENT models, as an essential tool after the 1988 Constitution, are presented as beacons for a more efficient administrative-financial management. In a second moment, we sought, in the available literature, successful vocational-educational initiatives that could add positively to improving the model chosen by the Brazilian initiative. Some historical spending data on S&T and formal-informal education was also shown, with the aim of comparing some priorities around the world and, mainly, in Brazil. As a result, actions were proposed to boost the Brazilian space vocational project, with short, medium and long-term activities that arouse students' interest in space science and related technologies, focused on astronomy and space exploration.