Célia Maria Soares Gomes de Sousa

O uso do software Modellus na integração entre conhecimentos teóricos e atividades experimentais de tópicos de mecânica

This work presents results of a research on the effectiveness of the integration of theory, computer simulation with the software Modellus and experimental activities in topics of mechanics. The study was conducted with four groups of high school students. One was the control group and the others carried out experimental activities, or computational modeling, or both. Tests were applied before and after interventions. The results indicate that for some types of problems, the experimental activities are more effective in promoting better student performance. In other types of problems the computer simulation proved to be more efficient. However, in general, the combination of experiments and computer simulation were more effective in promoting learning. The set of results indicate that the combination between experimental activities and computational simulation through the use of the Modellus software can promote, in most of the cases, a conceptual evolution and awake the curiosity and motivation of the pupils.

O modelo ondulatório como estratégia de promoção da evolução conceitual em tópicos sobre a luz em nível Médio

This study deals with the verification of the viability of strategies for teaching topics on light from its wave nature, by searching for evidence of learning in a high school course. A group of students was submitted to situations developed from the perspective of the Vergnauds Theory of Conceptual Fields and the Theory of Meaningful Learning, by Ausubel, with the objective of creating favorable conditions for conceptual development, and, by doing so, to promote greater understanding by the students of the phenomena related to the topic. Despite the poor infra-structure conditions for the development of the study, the results showed evidence of conceptual development and the viability of dealing with light-related topics from the perspective of wave theory.