An inclusive approach to incorporating green chemistry in a post-pandemic world

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic brought several challenges to the educational system with regard to the continuity of classes in the context of an Emergency Remote Education (ERE). Among these challenges, we highlight the intensification of disinterest and low participation of students in chemistry classes and the insufficiency of didactic proposals that work with School Inclusion (SI), with a focus on accessibility for the deaf. The ERE model lasted 2 (two) years, after this period, teachers had to face a new change in the school scenario: Post-pandemic Face-to-Face Teaching (post-pandemic FFT). Thus, with the return to classes, the challenges mentioned were accentuated, bringing again the demand for the adoption of new educational strategies. Within this context, this article is justified in the development of a pedagogical intervention focused on the inclusive teaching of Chemistry in the post-pandemic FFE, linked to the principles of Green Chemistry (GC) and the 6th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This action aimed at the elaboration of accessible didactic materials, together with the application of an experimental, contextualized, and sustainable practical class called: Batch Adsorption with activated charcoal from the endocarp of the coconut (biodegradable adsorbent). The results of the research showed that the adoption of the contextualization methodology, concomitantly with the development of the practical activity, pointed to an improvement in the teaching of Chemistry in the post-pandemic face-to-face model. Therefore, sustainable experimentation effectively contributed to the learning process and a more critical look at the socio-environmental issues discussed.