ii

Abstract

Non-formal classes are held outside the formal educational establishment and

can be an adequate way to introduce curricular contents, when multidisciplinarity

and contextualitualization can be easily achieved. In this thesis we have analyzed

different nom-formal educational places and the school visiting in them. A survey of

the curricular contents at the Botanic Garden and the Zoo from Rio de Janeiro, RJ,

was compared to the schoolbooks contents. At the National Museum from the

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, not only the curricular contents were

analyzed in schoolbooks but also a qualitative analysis was done thought interviews

during school visitations. At The Life Museum from Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, a

wider approach was done by comparing the contents from the exhibits to the

National Curricular Standards of the second segment of elementary school. As the

expositions at the Sciences and Technology Museum from PUCRS located in Porto

Alegre, RS, are numerous and placed according to the different areas, no analysis of

the contents was done, only interviews with schoolteachers, students, and museum

staff. It was observed that those spaces offer different qualitative aspects in terms of

being up to date, interactive, and scientific contents. Our results showed that the need

of a previous organization of the class is essential to the success of a non-formal

class as many of the interviewed teachers did not achieve their objectives by lacking

some useful educational strategies during the visits. The lack in previous

organization and of clear objectives is harmful to the student’s learning process.

These problems can be related to the teachers college education where the strategies

to better accomplish a non-formal class in science centers or museums should be

taught.