Analogies in Valdemar de Oliveira’s Natural History Textbooks

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35819/tear.v13.n2.a7239

Abstract

Analogies are comparisons between structures in two different domains that bring the unknown (target) closer to what is known (analogue). Studies on analogies in textbooks can define how this strategy contributes to the process of didacticizing scientific knowledge. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the analogies present in Valdemar de Oliveira's Natural History textbooks published between 1939 and 1941. The Content Analysis technique was used to examine the analogies. The categories of analysis were organized based on two indicators: Level of organization (relation to scientific concepts) and Effectiveness (provision of additional explanations). 98 analogies were identified, with 77 classified as facilitators and 21 as inducers of alternative conceptions. Even with a significant number of facilitating analogies, it should be considered that the use of elaborate language in some parts of the didactic texts may have hindered the understanding of certain contents of Natural History.

Keywords: Analogies. Textbooks. Valdemar de Oliveira.

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Author Biographies

  • Maria Eduarda de Oliveira Nascimento, UFPE

    Graduanda em Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas - Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro Acadêmico de Vitória (CAV). 

  • Gilmar Beserra de Farias, UFPE

    Doutor em Educação. Professor da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro Acadêmico de Vitória (CAV).

Published

2024-12-16

How to Cite

Analogies in Valdemar de Oliveira’s Natural History Textbooks. #Tear: Journal of Education, Science and Technology, Canoas, v. 13, n. 2, 2024. DOI: 10.35819/tear.v13.n2.a7239. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ifrs.edu.br/index.php/tear/article/view/7239. Acesso em: 15 jun. 2026.