O software Algodoo como material potencialmente significativo para o ensino de física: simulações e mudanças conceituais possíveis

Abstract

By the problems faced by the teaching of physics, the mass of information and the need of using technological resources in our teaching practices, this article seeks to answer the following question: What are the contributions that a simulation software can have on the content of learning kinematics and dynamics? And, by the problem presented, this research will have the overall objective to verify the adequacy and comprehension of physical phenomena related to kinematics and dynamics through the production and application of virtual simulations. Methodologically the research is characterized as applied, quantitative and exploratory. During the development of the activities they were modeled in experiments Algodoo software historically and conceptually important for kinematic and dynamic content. The study was conducted in the first semester of 2015 with two classes of the 9th grade of a particular elementary school in the city of Maringa, Paraná state, Brazil. In each class there was the number of 35 students. The theoretical framework consists of a basement on the Meaningful Learning Theory as a proposal for physics teaching with concept maps as an evaluation and finally a discussion about the use of communication technologies (ICT) in general science education. Furthermore, it presents a methodological description containing the preparation of the questionnaire was conducted in which a historical contextualization of each experiment and applied the data collection instrument. Later, they were organized the preconceptions of students before the implementation of activities and concept maps built after the end of the process. The results showed that the use of the software can contribute to the construction of scientific knowledge when used with adequated teaching practices and also contributes to the change in students' attitude in class.