Scientific experiments as learning tools in Physics teaching

• Grant number: 17/21376-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2018
• End date: June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Educational Teaching and Learning
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Roberto Plaza Teixeira
• Grantee: Kaua Estevam Cardoso de Freitas
• Host Institution: Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de São Paulo (IFSP). Campus Caraguatatuba. Caraguatatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Experimentation is an important part of scientific work, but reality has shown that the actual teaching of physics, which occurs in most Brazilian schools, is still far from experimental activities or practical demonstrations of concepts and laws of physics. In this scenario, this project will investigate the use of scientific experiments in Physics Teaching and will analyze the obstacles to the experimentation practices being implemented and the existing justifications for them, as well as will evaluate some possible ways to overcome the present difficulties. The starting point for this research is the teaching, research and extension actions that are periodically carried out within the scope of the IFSP - Caraguatatuba, both in its own facilities and in public school institutions located in the vicinity: the activities of scientific dissemination and education that will be proposed and investigated will involve the use of experiments of Physics and scientific toys that will be chosen in view of the ease to its access and the educational possibilities with respect to the process of learning of different concepts and laws of Physics. Teaching scripts will be elaborated, implemented and analyzed for the structuring and accomplishment of experimental activities in regular classes of Physics in high school. The written scripts and the experiments will be examined from the point of view of learning that they promote and the ability of argumentation that they develop in the students, from questionnaires, interviews and observations made in the schools in which the activities will occur.