Controvérsias sobre a natureza da luz: uma aplicação didática

Researches in the field of Science Teaching have shown, in recent decades, that students from high school level have difficulties in understanding basic concepts of science, in general, and physics, in particular. The specific literature indicates, as a priority for a scientific education of better quality, a more structured understanding about science. This work proposes the introduction of elements of History and Philosophy of Science in high school as an aid to learning the concepts of optics, in general, and of aspects concerning the nature of science, specifically. Making use of historical episodes regarding the controversy on the nature of light, especially during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as well as clippings of the history of optics in relation to the development of models that explain the process of vision, we formulated a teaching unit and implemented it on two night high school classes of a public school in the city of Parnamirim (RN). The unit involved, primarily, the reading of three historical texts containing written questions followed by a collective debate ("moot"). The results indicated some difficulties in overcoming the misconceptions related to the process of vision and the nature of light. Nevertheless, we believe that the teaching unit has succeeded in relation to the learning of most students, both in relation to a better understanding of science as well as concepts of optics

História da ciência como estratégia didática no ensino médio: um breve olhar de conteúdos da óptica

From a critique of aspects of the current teaching of physics, we propose in this paper an investigation into the conceptions of Nature of Science (NOS) submitted by students from the high school level, as well as the inclusion of discussions about some elements of NOS, through the History and Philosophy of Science, understanding them as facilitating strategy for more effective learning of Physics and, more specifically, the contents of optics. Based on the historical period corresponding to Greek antiquity to the mid-nineteenth century, built and applied a teaching unit to a high school class at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN) Ipanguaçu campus. Our teaching unit involved the reading and interpretation of texts with historical content, observation and assembling five experimental activities, among other activities. Data analysis occurred through questionnaires investigative applied before and after the completion of the teaching unit, as well as questionnaires for content present in the texts. Although not significant, the results indicated that the application of the teaching unit allowed the (re) construction of some conceptions about NOS targets students present in our work, and contribute to a better learning content and greater optical science approach and its nature

Ensinando sobre a natureza da ciência: uma abordagem explícita e contextualizada a partir da história do vácuo

In last decades, the importance of including the contents of the Nature of Science (NOS) in Science Education has been emphasized. Several studies have focused on investigating the conceptions of NOS, supported by students and teachers, as well as design, implement and evaluate proposals that aim to provide a reflection on this theme in the educational context. Considering the complexity of such content, studies indicate the need for explicit and contextualized approaches and the History of Science (HS) is one of the possible paths to this inclusion. We started from the premise that, through a historical study, that aims to discuss the meaning and the basis of our "beliefs", we can know the process of building on what we "believe" and better understand its meaning. This thesis is part of this perspective, proposing to explore the History of the Vacuum, a themed high didactic potential still little used, in order to collaborate with the teaching content of NOS. We present actions on different fronts that originated three products in the context of this research. On the first front, we insert the research and production of instructional materials (three historical texts) to subsidize people interested in the implementation of HPS for educational context through this material. The relevance of this front is justified by the existence of gaps with regard to the production of such material for the context of teacher training. However, we consider that the preparation of instructional material of good quality and accessible does not guarantee that these resources will be used, if they will not be accompanied by discussions in teacher training, on how to use them, contexts and obstacles to be faced. The second part presented refers to the organization and implementation of a workshop for undergraduate students in physics and physics teachers, considering the instrumentalization of these individuals to the preparation and use of teaching strategies to approach aspects of NOS through episodes of History of the Vacuum, as well as the preparation of the text orientation for people interested in implementing the instructional material for secondary education. This guidance text contemplates the difficulties anticipated by the literature of the area and the main challenges faced by the participants about the didactic transposition of HPS for the educational context they were noted during the workshop. The relevance of this second front, in particular, is justified by the existence of gaps with regard to the inclusion of the theme of NOS and the HPS teacher training

Fontes primárias da história do vácuo e da pressão atmosférica na sala de aula: cartas e jornais históricos em articulação com o livro-texto do ensino médio

The use of the History and the Philosophy of Science (HPS) for the teaching of science and scientific subjects has been advocated in recent decades. It has been pointed out that the History of Science could make for a deeper learning of scientific concepts, since it would promote a contact with the problems which that knowledge has set out to solve. Furthermore, historical episodes would serve to put the discussions about the nature of scientific knowledge into context. With a view to explore those potentialities, the literature in the field has sought to identify the challenges and obstacles for the didactic transposition of subjects from the History of Science. Amongst many aspects, the deficiencies in the training of teachers, so that they can work with the insertion of HPS in the classroom have been highlighted. Another aspect that has been mentioned to be a challenge has to do with the didactic transposition of the Primary Sources, that is, of the original texts on the History of Science. The Primary Sources have significant potentialities: making a connection possible between scientists and concepts, showing the difficulties faced during scientific endeavors, perceiving the role of mistakes as obstacles to be surpassed, not as defeat, etc. On the other hand, there has been little exploration of these concepts in an educational context, due to their own peculiarities. The original texts are often hard to understand and their interpretation demands knowledge of the historical and scientific context in which they were written, as well as skills pertaining to the conduction of research in the field of the History of Science. With this scenario in mind, the research towards this Professional MSc degree starts from the challenge of elaborating and discussing proposals which could enable the didactical transposition of the Primary Sources. We have worked specifically with Primary Sources on the History of the Vacuum and of the Atmospheric Pressure, because of the insertion of these subjects in the Brazilian High School curriculum, in connection with the didactical textbooks. "Historic Journals" were made up from clippings of the original historical texts, as was a Didactical Unit, which takes the usual textbooks as a basis and contemplates using the Journals and the entire Primary Sources in High School. At last, we have elaborated and implemented a course designed for the preparation of teachers and for being an opportunity for the discussion of the feasibility of putting these kinds of proposal into practice

Produção do mestrado profissional em ensino de ciências naturais e matemática da UFRN (física e química/2005-2012): papel dos documentos oficiais e características dos produtos educacionais

The importance of the Professionals Master in the field of science education is revealed by the recognition that they provide, to practicing teachers, in particular, training spaces for reflection and application of knowledge. This work appears in the context of the project "Research and training in teaching science and mathematics: a cutout of academic production in the northeast and overview of formative action in basic education" on the Centre for Education program, which main objective was to conduct studies description, analysis and evaluation of the academic production of Postgraduate Programs in Science Teaching of UFRPE, UFRN and UEPB and investigate the contribution of continuing education in stricto sensu level, of graduated teachers to improve the quality of basic education . We sought to examine a cut of academic production PPGECNM / UFRN, taking as reference dissertations of Natural Sciences, finished between the years 2005 and 2012, which have developed and applied educational products for high school students. More specifically we sought to conduct a general characterization of the dissertations analyzed for basic descriptors, to understand if and how the official documents governing the Brazilian education, especially science education, subsidized development of dissertations and identify current trends for science teaching are addressed and which ones are used in preparing the product of dissertations. The survey was based on documentary analysis, a type of qualitative approach in which the documents are objects of study in themselves. The results revealed that most of the work was developed in public schools, on subjects of physics and chemistry. During analytical reading of the text of the dissertations was observed that, in its construction, most of them addressed somehow, official documents governing the Brazilian educational system, that the products are basically teaching units and teaching approaches that are more focused on Experimentation and History and Philosophy of Science

Inércia e Natureza da Ciência no Ensino de Física: uma sequência didática centrada no desenvolvimento histórico do conceito de inércia

During the last decades the area of science education has discussed issues related to the inclusion of the History and Philosophy of Science (HFS) in the practice of science teaching. Among the arguments put forward in favour of this approach, it is pointed out the possible enhancement of scientific content learning and the understanding of the nature of Science (NoS). In spite of such considerations, we still have a very small number of research papers reporting results of practical interventions that utilize the historical approach, moreover, there is a lack of teaching materials in this perspective. Our work has sought to contribute to this area with regard to two aspects: on the one hand, with the production of didactic material, by drawing up texts on the history of inertia for graduate students. On the other hand, we investigate whether the arguments mentioned above in relation to the didactic use of HFS sustain themselves, in a particular context. We developed and applied a didactic sequence, using the texts that we built, to teach the concept of inertia and discuss selected contents of NoS. The didactic sequence was applied in two graduate classes, one from a course of Geophysics (BSc.) and another from the Physics (teaching formation), both from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). An initial survey exposed that students, even having approached the concept of inertia in basic education, presented conceptions of common sense regarding the relationship between force and motion. The questionnaire also allowed us to identify the existence of elements of concepts considered inadequate as regards to NoS. At the end of our research, our data indicated a greater number of positive hits on the issues concerning the concept of inertia. Regarding the aspects of NoS, we were able to identify, in a few cases, a move towards a more appropriate understanding, however, certain distortions persisted, highlighting the limitations of the approach used

Formação docente para a inserção da história e filosofia da ciência no ensino: textos histórico-pedagógicos em discussão

The present dissertation focuses on specific problems in the educational context: challenges in the construction of historical narratives for pedagogical use as well as the difficult task of using them in the classroom. In this context, we seek to work in teacher training for insertion of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) in classroom, and historical narratives become mediation elements to advance the dialogue with this specific audience. This initiative is in line with a recurring concern: one of the main challenges related to the didactic transposition of HFC would be the lack of teacher preparation. Historical contents and Nature of Science are still absent in classrooms. Insecurity and lack of knowledge by teachers are often mentioned as factors that contribute to this situation. It is important, therefore, that teachers (active and in training) take part in discussions concerning the inclusion of HPS in classroom. It is relevant that they know examples of historic-philosophical didactic proposals to address science and contents on science, develop skills to adapt them to their specific contexts and to develop their own proposals. It is believed that these issues are significant to undertake conscious initiatives to insert HPS in classrooms. It is considered that adapting educational proposals to particular educational contexts depends on understanding what these proposals indeed mean and how flexible they can be. In order to address these objectives, we elaborated an educational product, a didactic material focused on teacher training, which was used in an extension course at UFRN. The didactic material discusses the role of HPS in Education, Nature of Science and historiographical issues. It presents a series of dialogical activities on aspects of didactic transposition of HPS, especially those regarding historical narratives. A set of historicpedagogical texts on the History of Vacuum and Atmospheric Pressure is used as a mediation element in discussions. We address potential, possibilities and limitations historical narratives. To carry out the course, it was taken into account methodological concerns of so-called action research. There have been expected changes, modifications and effective actions in the own teacher training material in face of the experience of the researcher-lecturer in interactions with the participants of the course as well as in face of impressions reported by the participants. Developments in this direction have been incorporated into the teacher training material.