Botânica no muro: um relato de experiência sobre divulgação científica no ensino superior

Abstract

Botany, as an essential component of the Biological Sciences curriculum, faces significant challenges in higher education, particularly in promoting meaningful learning and student engagement. The traditional approach, centered on lectures and abstract content, often leads to student disengagement and hampers the understanding of the importance of plants in ecological, social, and economic contexts. In this scenario, innovative and interdisciplinary teaching strategies are crucial to reframe the teaching of Botany and bring students closer to the plant world. This article presents and analyzes an educational intervention conducted on the main bulletin board of the Biosciences Center at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), aiming to disseminate the work of the university's Herbarium, highlight its scientific and pedagogical importance, and promote a sensitive and creative connection with Botany within the academic environment. The action was initially developed within the context of a Supervised Teaching Internship course and was later expanded independently, becoming a form of outreach and non-formal education. The project, titled Botany on the Wall, involved transforming an underused physical space into an interactive and accessible scientific display. The initiative included the creation of plant specimens (exsiccate), development of educational content with an appealing visual identity, inclusion of QR codes linking to supplementary materials, and the promotion of challenges and reflections aimed at the academic community. The process was structured into five main stages: planning, elaboration, design and layout, implementation, and community engagement. The results indicate that the intervention helped increase the visibility of the UFRN Herbarium, foster student interest in Botany, and promote the circulation of scientific knowledge in non-formal learning spaces. Furthermore, the initiative proved to be a promising pedagogical practice, integrating teaching, outreach, and scientific communication in a playful, sensitive, and interdisciplinary manner. Initiatives such as this are fundamental to valuing the scientific heritage of universities, democratizing access to knowledge, and training teachers who are more engaged with critical and transformative educational practices.