Abordagem STEAM entre contradições e possibilidades: produção científica, políticas e práticas em contextos de desigualdades

Abstract

This dissertation, structured in a multipaper format, focuses on investigating the STEAM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and its relationship with the teaching of Science and Mathematics in Brazilian public schools. The work comprises three complementary studies: a mapping of national academic production, an analysis of curricular documents, and a practical application in a public school. The first chapter presents a survey of academic production on STEAM in Brazil between the years 2014 and 2022. A total of 19 master's dissertations, two doctoral theses, and 36 scientific articles were found in the Capes repositories and journal portals. The analysis reveals a still limited number of national publications, as well as a lack of studies that explore the epistemological, critical, and pedagogical aspects of the approach. It also highlights the need to democratize access to STEAM, especially in public schools, through the use of reusable and low-cost materials. The second chapter focuses on key regulatory documents in Brazilian education, such as the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and the Law of Guidelines and Bases (LDB). The aim is to understand to what extent these documents enable or restrict the inclusion of the STEAM approach in the school curriculum. The analysis, based on authors such as José Carlos Libâneo, Demétrio Delizoicov, and Demerval Saviani, highlights contradictions between official discourse and the real conditions for implementing interdisciplinary and critical proposals. The text also discusses the influence of international organizations, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), on the curricular policies of the Global South, and questions the possible pathways for incorporating approaches like STEAM in a context marked by structural inequalities and resource scarcity. Finally, the third chapter presents a practical experience carried out with two ninth-grade classes from a public school in the municipality of Senador Canedo, in the state of Goiás. The implementation consisted of a workshop divided into six sessions, with activities based on the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology and the use of recyclable materials. Data analysis, conducted through Discursive Textual Analysis, shows that even in contexts with limited infrastructure and access to technology, it is possible to develop meaningful interdisciplinary proposals. In addition to enhancing learning, the initiative also brought the school closer to the community, extending educational discussions and practices beyond school walls. Overall, the three studies indicate that the STEAM approach can contribute to the reorganization of the curriculum and the construction of a more critical, integrated, and socially grounded educational practice. Although there are structural and political obstacles, the research argues that it is possible to adapt and implement STEAM in diverse realities, as long as the local context is respected and the holistic development of individuals is prioritized. This dissertation thus proposes STEAM not as a technicist solution, but as a concrete possibility for democratizing learning in Science and Mathematics.