O USO DE MAPAS CONCEITUAIS COMO INSTRUMENTO DIDÁTICO PARA IDENTIFICAR INDÍCIOS DE APRENDIZAGEM SIGNIFICATIVA EM DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE ENSINO/The use of concept maps as educational tool to identify significant learning clues in different educational levels

Currently the teaching process requires educational strategies that contribute to effective student learning in a dynamic way, as well as new instruments to assess this learning. In this sense, the development of concept maps (MCs) is presented as an opportunity for teachers and students monitor and characterize the domain concepts and their relationships. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of the use of MCs as a teaching instrument that promotes learning at different educational levels, identifying evidence of meaningful learning. Therefore, we analyzed 84 MCs qualitatively, according to criteria used as a reference to classify them into three categories, which indicated the level of occurrence of this learning. They found to cases of progress and setbacks in the teaching process, individual characteristics of the students in the form of knowledge representation and evidence of meaningful learning. With this analysis, it was possible to understand the MCs as current and comprehensive educational and evaluation tools to promote meaningful learning. With them, the student is active and main subject of learning, the teacher can draw on this tool to find out what the student already knows and teach them according, one of the precepts of the Theory of Learning.