ARTICULATING PRACTICAL AND SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGES ON ACIDS/BASES: ANALYSIS OF WAYS OF SPEAKING AND THINKING FROM LICENSED CHEMISTRY TEACHERS AND HAIRDRESSERS

ABSTRACT:

This work analyzes ways of speaking and thinking on acids/bases from the meanings built in two different situations - the professional practice of hairdressers, a community of practice, and a formation course for Chemistry teachers. We collected data from individual semi-structured interviews conducted with hairdressers and the analysis of licensed teachers’ reports and speeches transcriptions on interviews that they performed with hairdressers, aiming to identify how they understand acids/bases in the context of hair treatment. In general, the hairdressers expressed unscientific ideas on acid associated with the use of hair products in practice. In the academic context, utilitarian/pragmatic, substantialist, empirical, rationalistic and relational ways of thinking were identified.

Keywords:
Acids/bases; Communities of practice; Conceptual profile