The reductionist view, implicit in the usual curriculum - that the world can be reduced to particles - reinforces a simplified conception of society as a mere sum of individuals. In this way, curricula acquire political meaning and interfere with society. New approaches including changes in curricula result in a more profound understanding of the dialectical connection between simple and complex systems as a starting point to inter- and trans-disciplinary views of physical sciences and society. Bakhtin's theory of dialogism implies new pedagogical and more democratic practices involving student participation in a dialogical construction of knowledge as way to building their political consciousness. According to our results we must change both curricula contents, by including the study of emergent proprieties in complex systems and by taking account of historical perspectives, and pedagogical practices in order to form good students, professionals and citizens able to play a significant role in a democratic society.
Physics teaching; Dialogism; Citizenship; Mikhail Bakhtin