Scientific Literacy and knowledge contextualization: a study of traffic applied Physics

Abstract We present the results of a study with High School graduates that sought to investigate the scientific literacy level and the ability to interpret traffic situations in the light of Physics. From this measurement, we performed statistical tests in order to infer if these indexes had a connection with previous Physics classes experienced by the participants and also with the degree of information about scientific topics that they believed to hold. As results, it was possible to show statistically significant connections between the majority of the analyzed constructs, highlighting the correlation between the scientific literacy level of those who attended Physics classes with characteristics that could enhance Significant Learning. As a contribution, we defend the inclusion of a fourth axis, Scientific Proficiency, in the way of measuring the level of scientific literacy, postulated by Joh Miller, in which it is considered scientifically literate those who submit minimum domain: 1) of the contents of science; 2) of nature of science; and 3) of the impact of science and technology on society and the environment.