Aspectos característicos da utilização de experimentações por professores de física do ensino médio, de um município paulista

Abstract

In this article, we seek to understand the aspects that mark the process of planning and developing experiments by teachers in the context of Physics Teaching in High School. Therefore, we try to answer the following research questions: (1) What elements/ materials/sources do high school physics teachers use to organize didactic activities based on experimentation? (2) What are the main aspects that characterize how high school physics teachers usually work experimentation in their classes? To collect information, we conducted interviews with seven high school physics teachers from schools belonging to the State Public Network of a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo. The procedures for organizing, processing, and analyzing the information collected followed the guidelines of the perspective known as Grounded Theory. From the analyzes carried out, it was possible to show that: (1) the textbook is the material most frequently consulted to assist teachers in organizing these activities; (2) most teachers prefer the use of experiments that are developed with low-cost materials and that motivate students; (3) the adaptations/modifications that teachers usually make in relation to the original experiment are always related to the material indicated to be used in the assembly of the experimental apparatus; (4) experiments are carried out to address different subjects in Physics; (5) teachers usually develop experiments in the classroom; (6) the moment in the process considered as the most appropriate for the use of experimentation is during the treatment of the subject or after its theoretical presentation, as a means of illustrating the concept/phenomenon/process under study; (7) in the case of experiments with sophisticated equipment, teachers usually set up the experimental apparatus themselves and carry out the experimentation.