Reading as a foundation for knowledge building and critical thinking development: a case study in engineering subjects

Abstract

The text explores the relevance of reading as a tool for developing critical thinking in engineering students, especially in a context where the consumption of digital content is increasingly frequent. The research that supports this article was based on the monitoring of two courses taught in 2024 to engineering students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC): EMC6901, Science, Technology and Society (STS) and EMC5003, Technology and Development (T&D). Through content analysis of materials produced by students, including answers to questions before and after classes, final redaction, and participant observation of the relationships established in class, we analysed how reading, predominantly used as a teaching method, contributed to the construction of students' knowledge and critical thinking. The study demonstrates that reading, when well guided and diversified, exposes students to different perspectives and worldviews, encouraging them to analyse, question and construct their own opinions, thus proving to be an effective strategy for promoting the formation of more critical and reflective engineers, capable of analysing the social and ethical implications of technology and science.