Atlas.ti software as a resource for content analysis: analyzing robotics in science teaching in Brazilian theses

Abstract: This paper presents the use of the Atlas.ti software as a resource to the realization of the Bardin’s Content Analysis. For this, we use as a methodological framework the systematic review of the Brazilian doctoral theses that study the use of educational robotics in science education. We describe, from the data collected in the Digital Library of Thesis and Dissertations, the commands in the software to conduct the steps of pre-analysis, material exploration and inferences. With this, was possible to identify trends and gaps in Brazilian research at the doctoral level on the thematic focus, which were discussed in the four empirical categories of analysis: Epistemological basis, Methodological inconsistency, Target audience and Characteristics of national production. After the inferences, it was possible to understand the scope of the Brazilian theses. As well, we concluded that the software is a satisfactory technological resource to carry out all the steps of Content Analysis.