Reflexões sobre o ensino de Sistemática Filogenética na educação básica brasileira

Abstract

This theoretical work begins with a brief historical overview of the development of phylogenetic systematics as a set of theoretical-methodological knowledge that uses the evolutionary relationships between species as a criterion for organizing biological diversity. The close relationship between the teaching of evolution and the teaching of phylogenetic systematics is discussed in light of the literature on the challenges and obstacles to teaching this subject in Brazilian basic education, as well as studies that reflect on the teaching materials available to educators. The social and cultural arguments for the teaching of natural sciences are used to discuss the contributions of teaching phylogenetic systematics in the development of competencies and skills outlined in the Brazilian National Common Curriculum. The work suggests that the teaching of phylogenetic systematics can provide an additional pathway to understanding the complexity and, consequently, the beauty of the biological world. As pathways for teaching this subject in Brazilian basic education, this work points out some alternatives that take advantage of the potential that phylogenetic systematics has to integrate and articulate other important aspects of the study of biological topics.