Student perceptions of the social dimension of knowledge in Natural Sciences

Abstract

The learning of natural sciences faces the challenge of articulating scientific knowledge with the student's social reality. This study aims to identify students' perceptions about the social dimension of knowledge (SDK) in natural science learning among 10th-grade students at José Antonio Galán Educational Institution in Rabolargo-Cereté, Córdoba, Colombia. The methodological approach is qualitative, under the interpretive paradigm, with a hermeneutic phenomenological research design. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were employed to collect information from a student focus group. Specialized programs and software were used for information analysis, taking into account thematic coding for identifying recurring patterns in student narratives, content analysis for systematic categorization of discourses, and finally, methodological triangulation that helped contrast interviews, observations, and documents. The results show that students recognize the importance of natural sciences for solving problems in their environment, but perceive that current teaching does not foster a real relationship with their context. It is concluded that it is necessary to rethink didactic strategies to integrate the SDK into educational practices and promote meaningful, critical, and contextualized learning of sciences.