Content Analysis and Concepts of Elementary School Students about Bats

Abstract

Bats are nocturnal animals, commonly associated with the spread of disease, as well as with fanciful stories involving rats with wings and vampires. However, they perform ecological services, such as pollination, seed dispersal and population control of other animals. Thus, the present study aimed to recognize the conceptions of the 7th year students of a State College, in the south of Brazil, about bats in view of the realization of an educational action on the subject. The previous conceptions of the students were determined, through interviews, which constituted guiding questions, with 30 students. Then there was a workshop with the theme "Characteristics and ecological importance of bats". After an interval of three months from the action, the same questions were applied to the students. Content analysis was used, which studied the latent content of the interviews. Positive changes in students conceptions of bats were identified. In the categorization of the analysis, the unit on popular legends had low representation in the answers, while speeches based on scientific knowledge and content associations began to predominate in the students' speech, reinforcing the importance of conducting educational actions on aspects related to nature conservation.