Era Vargas e Ensino de Química: as Modificações nos Conteúdos à Luz da Divisão do Trabalho

Resumo

This study examines the transformations in chemistry education from the Vargas Era onward, highlighting
the influence of the mode of production on science education, particularly in the teaching of chemistry. It
first explores the educational reforms of the period—the Francisco Campos Reform and the Capanema
Reform—as well as the leading educational movement of the 1930s, the New School movement, situating
them within the socioeconomic context of the Vargas Era. Within this framework, the research analyzes the
curricula of Colégio Pedro II and contemporary textbooks. Until the Old Republic, chemistry curricula and
schoolbooks maintained a balance between theoretical and practical aspects, incorporating historical and
philosophical perspectives on science. After the Estado Novo, chemistry education adopted a utilitarian
approach, diminishing theoretical reflection while reinforcing the relationship between chemistry and
industry.