CARBONATO DE CÁLCIO OU CÁLCIO QUELADO? ELUCIDANDO ESSA DÚVIDA POR MEIO DE ESTUDO DE CASO

Abstract

CALCIUM CARBONATE OR CALCIUM CHELATE? ELUCIDATING THIS QUESTION USING A CASE STUDY. Analytical Chemistry disciplines are present in the curriculum of several undergraduate courses. However, based on our experience, students not always are able to realize the association of the scientific concepts included in these disciplines with the social context and, specially, with their future field of work. In the present report, we used a case study about calcium supplementation by calcium carbonate and calcium chelate that included a science outreach activity, which was applied to students enrolled in three undergraduate courses: Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Chemistry. We noticed that students not only got actively involved with the case, but also highlighted the importance of this activity, took the case beyond the classroom, and requested the inclusion of other similar activities in the discipline. Although different answers were presented for the case, the results obtained bring a positive impact on the instructors’ teaching practice and on the courses as a whole.