Meaningful learning about biosafety through interactive infographics

Abstract

Introduction: Implementation of various interactive resources in the classroom encourages new educational strategies and builds innovative experiences among professors and students. In this respect, infographics, as a learning object, complements the content available in virtual environments and generates reflective, cooperative and autonomous learning environments.

Objective: To identify appreciations, attitudes, experiences and perspectives regarding the meaningful learning of biosafety through the use of infographics.

Methods: A qualitative study was carried out using the focus group technique. A script was prepared based on the concerns obtained from feedback, several questions were formulated and, later on, the answers were recorded on audio. For discourse analysis, basic categories were defined and adjusted as the testimonies were reviewed, based on the grounded theory method. Once the categories were identified, the objective, the documents and the previous studies were triangulated.

Results: The contents of the focus groups’ transcript were integrated and analyzed. Four basic categories were constructed, which included students' understanding of the formative function of the process, students’ empowerment, management of conflicts, and some suggestions for improvement based on the students’ perspective.

Conclusions: The focus group technique was a valuable tool for learning about the development of new digital content, through infographics as a didactic strategy, a fact evident in dynamic, flexible, participatory and motivating educational processes that promote meaningful learning, collaborative work and critical thinking.