Contribuições das obras de Frederic Edward Clements para o ensino de ecologia
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Data
2016-06-03
Autores
Nunes, Patrícia da Silva [UNESP]
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
Frederic Edward Clements (1874-1945) foi um botânico e ecólogo estadunidense. Realizou trabalhos principalmente na área de Ecologia Dinâmica. Recebeu reconhecimento perante a comunidade científica, sobretudo após a publicação do livro "Plant Succession: an analysis of the development of vegetation", em 1916. Nessa obra defendeu a metáfora das formações vegetais como entidades orgânicas, o superorganismo. Após esse trabalho foi convidado a integrar o corpo de pesquisadores da Instituição Carnegie, em Washington (EUA), conseguindo assim maiores financiamentos para as suas pesquisas. Seus trabalhos, alvos de críticas e elogios, contribuíram para a institucionalização da Ecologia enquanto ciência no século XX. Tendo em vista a importância das ideias desse autor para a estruturação desse campo, objetivou-se neste trabalho investigar as suas contribuições, a partir de fontes originais, com o propósito de oferecer subsídios para a discussão a respeito de seus aportes para o ensino da Ecologia no nível superior de educação. A fim de que compreendêssemos mais profundamente o alcance de sua obra, foram realizadas entrevistas com seis professores universitários, que além de discutirem a obra de Clements, ainda teceram diálogos sobre a inclusão da História e Filosofia da Ciência no ensino. Esse fato é interessante, pois a história da ciência, segundo pesquisadores da área, pode configurar-se como uma ferramenta importante para a aprendizagem científica. Cabe ressaltar que as entrevistas foram analisadas pelo método da análise de conteúdo e as obras, por meio de análises documentais. Após a triangulação dos dados foi verificado que Clements trouxe importantes contribuições para a Ecologia, como a elaboração de novos conceitos, inserção de terminologias, criação de métodos de pesquisa – como o método de parcelas, confecção de instrumentos para trabalhos de campo, discussão sobre critérios de rigor científico para a área e, ainda, trouxe uma visão sistêmica para os ambientes naturais. Para o ensino, especificamente, contribuiu com a elaboração de experimentos e procedimentos para aulas de campo destinadas a alunos universitários. Ainda hoje seus trabalhos estão presentes em livros-texto utilizados nos cursos de graduação de Biologia e Ecologia, confirmando assim o reconhecimento da sua importante contribuição como pesquisador.
Frederic Clements (1874-1945) was an American botanist and ecologist who carried out works mainly in Dynamic Ecology field. He received recognition from the scientific community, especially after the publication of "Plant Succession: an analysis of the development of vegetation", in 1916. In this work, he defended the analogy of plant formations as organic entities, the superorganism. After this work, he was invited to join the body of researchers on the Carnegie Institution, in Washington, DC (USA), thereby achieving greater funding for his research. His works, targets of criticism and praise, contributed to the strengthening of Ecology as a science in the twentieth century. Given the importance of this author's ideas to the structuring of this field, the aim of the present work was to investigate his contributions, based on the original sources, in order to provide subsidies for discussion of his additions to the teaching of Ecology in higher education. To broadly understand the scope of his work, interviews were conducted with six university professors. Besides discussing Clements' production, they dialogued on the inclusion of History and Philosophy of Science in education. This is an interesting fact because, according to researchers in the field, the History of Science can be configured as an important tool for scientific learning. It is worth noting that the interviews were analyzed by content analysis method, and the works by documental analysis. After analysis, it was confirmed that Clements brought many contributions to Ecology, as the development of new concepts, introduction of terminologies, creation of research methods – as the quadrat method, creation of fieldwork instruments, discussion on scientific rigor criteria on this area, and even brought a systemic vision of the natural environment. Specifically on teaching, he contributed through the preparation of experiments and procedures for field classes for college students. Even today, his works are present in textbooks used in Biology and Ecology undergraduate courses, conforming the recognition of his remarkable contribution as a researcher.
Frederic Clements (1874-1945) was an American botanist and ecologist who carried out works mainly in Dynamic Ecology field. He received recognition from the scientific community, especially after the publication of "Plant Succession: an analysis of the development of vegetation", in 1916. In this work, he defended the analogy of plant formations as organic entities, the superorganism. After this work, he was invited to join the body of researchers on the Carnegie Institution, in Washington, DC (USA), thereby achieving greater funding for his research. His works, targets of criticism and praise, contributed to the strengthening of Ecology as a science in the twentieth century. Given the importance of this author's ideas to the structuring of this field, the aim of the present work was to investigate his contributions, based on the original sources, in order to provide subsidies for discussion of his additions to the teaching of Ecology in higher education. To broadly understand the scope of his work, interviews were conducted with six university professors. Besides discussing Clements' production, they dialogued on the inclusion of History and Philosophy of Science in education. This is an interesting fact because, according to researchers in the field, the History of Science can be configured as an important tool for scientific learning. It is worth noting that the interviews were analyzed by content analysis method, and the works by documental analysis. After analysis, it was confirmed that Clements brought many contributions to Ecology, as the development of new concepts, introduction of terminologies, creation of research methods – as the quadrat method, creation of fieldwork instruments, discussion on scientific rigor criteria on this area, and even brought a systemic vision of the natural environment. Specifically on teaching, he contributed through the preparation of experiments and procedures for field classes for college students. Even today, his works are present in textbooks used in Biology and Ecology undergraduate courses, conforming the recognition of his remarkable contribution as a researcher.
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História e Filosofia da Ciência, Ecologia dinâmica, Superorganismo, Sucessão ecológica, Análise documental, History and Philosophy of Science, Dynamic ecology, Superorganism, Ecological succession, Document analysis