APPLYING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL) IN THE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY COURSE WHILE STUDYING HONEY

PBL suggests that the teaching and learning process is student-centered. The project "Characterization of honey by phenolic profile and antioxidant evaluation, focusing on PBL" (two Finnish floral honeys, one Portuguese, and one Finnish honeydew) was applied in the "Organic Chemistry", to 2nd year students of Vocational Course in Chemistry at the Federal Institute of the Southeast of Minas Gerais - Barbacena Campus. The content was worked throughout the project. The groups were mixed, seeking teamwork. Dialogically, individuality was valued. In the first period UV-spectrophotometric analysis were performed. The groups taught each other, characterizing the role of the student as an advisor. They were the authors of the cooperative learning process, relating honey to organic compounds. They studied the carbon atom, and started functions. Molecular models aimed at the knowledge discussed (single/double/triple bonds, s/p, hybridization/geometry, structures). For the second period, preparation of an extract by chromatography lead to the knowledge about properties of the compounds (which would occur in the fourth period), and applying the "Homologous Series" subproject. New groups were drawn (3rd period) in a motivating dialogical lesson. Trust was created between students and teachers within the learning process. In the last period, they investigated preliminary chemical results. The phenolic profiles were similar, with more differences in the Finnish honeydew and Portuguese floral. They studied isomers and completed functions. There were differentiated assessments for the construction of knowledge, including the use of technological tools. There was a surprising level of motivation amongst the participants. The implementation of PBL and student-centered approach is effective and powerful.