Genetic complexity and the expression of human skin color, eye color, and height: didactic transposition

Abstract

Genetic science is continuously expanding, but the genetics taught in school cannot be considered only as a simplification of science produced knowledge: it is also a result of values and practices. This research aimed to analyze the didactic transposition on the expression of skin color, eye color, and human height on Brazilian and Portuguese textbooks and the “São Paulo Student Notebook”. Of the biology textbooks for several periods of secondary education (Brazilian “Ensino Médio” and Portuguese “Ensino Secundário”), twelve recent ones were analyzed in detail: nine Brazilian collections and three Portuguese collections. The content of these textbooks was compared with the contents of the reference literature in the genetics area. In this study, reference literature includes some recent scientific papers and academic books for teacher training. The influence of knowledge, values, and social practices on this process of didactic transposition was also a matter of analysis. Results showed that most textbooks are close to the scientific literature in discussing the polygenic determination of the characteristics analyzed. About half of the analyzed books mentioned the influence of the environment. Values and practices influencing didactic transposition of these topics were also identified, such as 1) concerns about avoiding a deterministic view of genetics; 2) the practice of mathematizing biology; 3) the authors’ practices in following curriculum guidelines; 4) practices and concerns related to textbook evaluation; and 5) concerns with avoiding bias within populations composed of different ethnic groups.

Keywords

• ensino de genética humana
• didatização
• livros didáticos