Integration of the digital technologies in the teaching of astronomy
Abstract
This study presents results of a survey conducted at the Federal Institution of Education, Science and Technology in the North of Minas Gerais (IFNMG), and aimed to investigate the potential uses of interactive materials in the teaching of astronomy. Despite being part of official documents, proposals included in the curriculum of several states, and having contributed to human and technological development, astronomy is rarely taught adequately in the Brazilian basic education. When it is taught, it is with unsatisfactory results as presented by students and teachers as shown by several studies, such as those carried out by (Voelzke and Gonzaga, 2013). Digital technologies are commonly used by youth, but neglected by the majority of teachers. In this sense, a survey with the aim of pointing out the potential use of digital technologies in teaching astronomy was developed. An advanced course in astronomy was offered for participants with the goal to help them understand astronomical phenomena. The following steps were to be taken: i) analysis of the pedagogical projects (PPC) of the licenciates at the IFNMG, with its Campus Januária as research locus; ii) analysis of students' preconceptions about astronomy and digital technologies, identified by the application of an initial questionnaire; iii) preparation of the course taking into account the students' previous knowledge; iv) application of the education proposal developed under part-time presence modality, using various interactive tools; v) application and analysis of the final questionnaire. The test consisted of thirty-two students of physics, mathematics and biology and was conducted with the qualitative and quantitative methodology, combined with a content analysis. Among other results, it was verified that: (i) In the IFNMG only the licenciate-course in physics includes astronomy content diluted in various subjects of the curriculum; (ii) the analysis of the initial questionnaire showed even that group has researched little or no knowledge of astronomy-related topics, which can be explained by the exclusion of astronomy in basic education in Brazil; (iii) the analysis of the final questionnaire showed that there was significant learning (Ausubel; Novak and Hanesian, 1978), since the results indicate a significant improvement in student responses, (iv) the results indicate a high level of student satisfaction, and; (v) viability of resource use involving digital technologies in the teaching of astronomy, which may contribute to the broadening of methodological options of future teachers and meet their training needs. When the study of sciences takes place without interaction with natural and technological phenomena, a huge gap in the education of students occurs. In this sense, the use of different resources such as models, observations, real and virtual experiments, animations, simulations, video classes, can arouse students' interest in the conceptual content, different from what occurs when the study permits only using conventional resources, as books and handouts. D.P. Ausubel; J.D. Novak; H. Hanesian. Educational psychology: a cognitive view. 2nd. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978. 733p. M. R. Voelzke; E. P. Gonzaga. Analysis of the astronomical concepts presented by teachers of some brazilian state schools. Journal of Science Education, v. 14, n.1, 23-25, 2013.
- Publication:
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Journal of Science Education
- Pub Date:
- August 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014JSE....15...67D
- Keywords:
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- teaching of astronomy;
- digital technologies;
- teacher education;
- alternative conceptions