Science Clubs and democracy: a network analysis on the democratization of school knowledge

Un Análisis de Redes sobre la Democratización del Conocimiento Escolar

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28998/2175-6600.2026v18n40.20736

Keywords:

democratic management, environmental education, ecological economics, sustainability, youth protagonism

Abstract

This article analyzes the construction of democracy in education through an interdisciplinary experience developed within a Science Club, titled “The Web of Life: Past, Present, and Future,” articulating environmental sustainability and the fundamentals of ecological economics. The general objective is to understand how democratic management, by integrating pedagogical, administrative, and management teams, enhances student agency and the formation of critical socio-environmental and economic awareness. The research is characterized as a pedagogical intervention with a qualitative approach, conducted with 28 sixth-grade elementary school students, grounded in a Systematic Literature Review and Discursive Textual Analysis applied to logbooks. The live graph dynamic, represented by a web of colored strings, allowed for the visualization of the interdependence between natural resources, production systems, and social organization, highlighting environmental impacts and their economic reflections. The results indicate that democratic practice in school strengthens the understanding of the relationship between sustainability, economy, and citizenship, demonstrating that participatory science education contributes to the formation of critical subjects capable of proposing solutions to the socio-environmental challenges of 2050.

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Author Biographies

Chamis Nédia Abdul Khalek, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS

Chamis Nédia Abdul Khalek is a Ph.D. student in Science Education at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (PPGECI/UFRGS, 2025). She holds a Master’s degree in STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) from the State University of Rio Grande do Sul (UERGS). Her specialized academic background includes a postgraduate degree in Autism and Intellectual Disability: Inclusive Educational Knowledge and Practices from the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU, 2022), as well as specializations in Biology and Chemistry Teaching (UMG, 2021) and the "Ciências 10" program (UFRGS, 2025). She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences, with an emphasis on Middle School Science, Biology, and Chemistry, from the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS, 2019). Furthermore, she completed her teacher training in Science Education for Middle and High School, with an emphasis on Youth and Adult Education (EJA), in 2003.

Regarding her professional trajectory, she has served as a teacher of Natural Sciences, Biology, and Chemistry within the Rio Grande do Sul State Education System since 2015, and as a literacy teacher in the Municipal Education System since 2019. A prominent advocate for STEM/STEAM initiatives, she coordinates the STEM Science Clubs at EEEM Santa Rosa (since 2023) and EEEF Gonçalves Dias, where she organizes scientific activities for Middle and High School students. Her work involves mentoring students in the development of STEAM-based research projects, encouraging participation in science fairs, national olympiads, and educational competitions through partnerships with higher education institutions, corporations, and NGOs. Additionally, she has experience as a Chemistry teacher at the ACM (YMCA) and has been a mentor for the NGO "STEM Para Minas" since 2022, supporting girls pursuing careers in STEAM fields. She is proficient in English.

ORCID: 0000-0001-5738-138 Online Profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5738-138

Gilson Valério Vicente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS

He is currently a Master’s student in Applied Economics at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). His academic background includes several postgraduate specializations (lato sensu) from Faculdade Iguaçu, including Economics with an emphasis on Public Management, Accounting, and Law (720 hours); Higher Education Teaching (720 hours); an MBA in Administration, Accounting, and Finance (720 hours); and an Executive MBA in Real Estate and Tourism Management (640 hours). He earned a Bachelor of Technology degree in Management Processes from the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS, 2023) and is also a certified Real Estate Transactions Technician through the same institution (IFRS Porto Alegre).

His primary research and professional interests lie in Applied Economics, Science Communication, and Small Business Management, with a particular focus on Inclusive Entrepreneurship. His work further explores themes such as Integral Education, Digital Law, and the Connected Society.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0576-517X

José Vicente Lima Robaina, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul - UFRGS

He is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), within the Department of Teaching and Curriculum (DEC) at the Faculty of Education (FACED), where he teaches in the Rural Education: Licentiate in Natural Sciences program. He is a faculty member of the Graduate Program (PPG) in Science Education: Chemistry of Life and Health at UFRGS, the Graduate Program in STEM Education (PPGSTEM) at the State University of Rio Grande do Sul (UERGS, Guaíba campus), and the Doctoral Program in Science and Mathematics Education (PPGECEM) of the Amazonian Network for Science and Mathematics Education (REAMEC). He coordinates the Research and Study Group on Rural Education and Natural Sciences, as well as the Research Group on Integral Education in School and Society: Subjects, Territories, Dimensions, and Interfaces, both certified by CAPES and UFRGS.

His academic background includes a Postdoctoral fellowship in Education and Rural Education from FACED/UFRGS (2017), a Ph.D. in Education from UNISINOS (2007), and a Master’s degree in Education from UFRGS (1996). He also holds specializations in Applied Toxicology (PUCRS, 1987) and Chemistry Education (UFRGS, 1990), alongside a Licentiate degree in Chemistry and a teaching degree in Sciences from PUCRS. With extensive experience in Chemistry Teaching, Science Education, and Rural Education, his work focuses on didactic and alternative materials for teaching and learning. His primary research interests include Teacher Training, Science Clubs, Environmental Education, Science and Chemistry Education, the Institutional Scholarship Program for Teaching Initiation (PIBID), and Drug Prevention in Schools.

References

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Published

2026-06-05

How to Cite

KHALEK, Chamis Nédia Abdul; VICENTE, Gilson Valério; ROBAINA, José Vicente Lima. Science Clubs and democracy: a network analysis on the democratization of school knowledge: Un Análisis de Redes sobre la Democratización del Conocimiento Escolar. Debates em Educação, [S. l.], v. 18, n. 40, p. 1–28, 2026. DOI: 10.28998/2175-6600.2026v18n40.20736. Disponível em: https://ufal.emnuvens.com.br/debateseducacao/article/view/20736. Acesso em: 11 jun. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 40 (2026)

Section

Dossiê: construindo democracia na educação: experiências Afro-Ibero-Americanas de gestão participativa

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