Acceptance of the cartoon O X na Xistose for the knowledge construction about schistosomiasis among middle school students

Abstract

The educators’ work can be enriched with the use of pedagogical resources which are important in the teaching and learning process. With this aspect in mind, a cartoon with the theme schistosomiasis was created, so as to promote knowledge about the disease among middle school students, and exhibited in four endemic municipalities - Jaboticatubas, Malacacheta and Santa Luzia in the state of Minas Gerais; and João Pessoa in the state of Paraíba. The animation was based on the book O feitiço da lagoa by Virginia Schall and it was shown to students in those four towns. A questionnaire was answered by them after the respective exhibitions in order to verify the acceptance and understanding of the material that was shown. According to the responses, the cartoon presented good acceptance. Everyone identified schistosomiasis as the disease displayed, and the snail that transmits the schistosome. The results showed that the cartoon can be an important pedagogical resource in the educational process, helping endemic control programs, especially when these programs are developed in the school environment.