Teaching oxygenated functions: a didactic experience using medicinal plants to contextualize learning in a virtual environmenta virtual environment

Abstract

The teaching of Chemistry, particularly topics like oxygenated organic functions, presents challenges due to its abstract and decontextualized approach. This study aimed to develop and implement a didactic experience based on the theme of medicinal plants, making the teaching of this content more relatable to students' everyday experiences. The didactic sequence was conducted virtually via Google Meet platform from August and December 2020, targeting a class of 66 third-year high school students from a public state school in the city of Esperança-PB. The research was structured into three stages: assessing prior knowledge about medicinal plants, applying the didactic sequence, and evaluating students' perceptions of the methodology. Data were collected through questionnaires containing four questions related to the topic, which responses analyzed and some transcribed for qualitative interpretation. The results indicated that more than 90% of the students were able to establish connections between the theme and the studied content, considering the approach more dynamic and engaging. These findings underscore the importance of active methodologies that promote student participation, foster engagement, and support meaningful, contextualized learning.