Crítica à Cultura Positivista na Formação dos Professores de Física: Análise do Currículo Acadêmico dos Cursos de Licenciatura em Física no Instituto Federal de Goiás

Abstract

This research analyzed the academic curriculum of the Physics Teaching Degree programs at the Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG) through the history of science from the perspective of historical-dialectical materialism. The Physics Teaching Degree program proposes to train future teachers in the field of Physics; however, the vision of what it means to be a teacher and the relationship with students is part of an ideological struggle. Therefore, investigate which concepts, values, and perspectives permeate the Physics Teaching Degree program through an analysis of the course documents (Pedagogical Political Project and curriculum structure) from the standpoint of historical materialism, as well as the historical origins of this thought, correlating them with the history of science. We can observe a strong influence of positivism within the natural sciences and mathematics due to the nature of their objects of study, which also manifests in the human relations within the profession. On the other hand, the humanities are often attacked for their alleged lack of “scientific rigor” as demanded by positivism. This debate is not exclusive to the present day nor restricted to academic spaces; it dates back to Galileo’s formalization of scientific methods, extends through the Industrial Revolution, and continues to appear in everyday classroom discussions, political spaces (both formal and informal), and the curricular positioning of schools and universities.