Dissertation defense
Student: Bruna Alves
Program: Mestrado Profissional em Ensino de Astronomia (Professional Master's Degree in Astronomy Teaching)
Title: “A proposal for teaching uniform circular motion using the apparent motion of stars”
Advisor: Profa. Dra. Elysandra Figueiredo Cypriano
Judging Committee:
Chair: Profa. Dra. Elysandra Figueiredo Cypriano - IAG/USP
Members:
- Profa. Dra. Elysandra Figueredo Cypriano - Orientadora - IAG/USP
- Prof. Dr. Enos Picazzio - IAG/USP
- Prof. Dr. André Machado Rodrigues – IF/USP
- Profa. Dra. Tassiana Fernanda Genzini de Carvalho - UFPE– por videoconferência
Abstract: This work presents the educational product, in a didactic sequence, for teaching circular and uniform motion (MCU), exploring astronomy as a central object of studies and having as its main objective the application of an experiment during which the apparent movement of the stars around the south celestial pole (PSC) will be analyzed in order to calculate the Earth's rotation speed. Such analysis will be carried out using two different data collection methods: (i) in the first, with the aid of the “Stellarium” simulator; and (ii) in the second, from the observation of star trails in a long exposure photograph of the sky. The classes that served as the basis for this work are composed in the school environment, with some face-to-face and others online, and are focused on ensuring that students experience a contextualized teaching process. Furthermore, the classes also value students' autonomy in the teaching and learning processes, since, according to the National Curricular Parameters (PCN) and the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) - documents that serve as a reference for the construction of the curriculum physics teaching in schools – the specific role of physics teaching is the construction of an autonomous and active student, who must be able to investigate and understand phenomena present in everyday life. The PCN and BNCC also bring research as a structuring pillar of physics teaching, prioritizing the understanding of natural phenomena through models, with the intention of making predictions. The educational product attached to this work was applied in class to students from two classes of the 1st year of high school (EM) at a private school with the aim of verifying whether, after applying such a product – which prioritized teaching of astronomy linked to the experience of a practical activity that prioritized scientific methodology – the students implemented the concepts that involve the MCU effectively and were able to relate them to other circular movements present in their daily lives. The results revealed that the use of astronomy as a central object of studies is important, as this approach increased students' interest, in addition to amplifying their perception of everyday movements by contextualizing physical concepts and mediating knowledge. The use of scientific methodology in an experimental activity contributed to the construction of an autonomous process of learning and implementing the physical concepts studied. After applying the educational product, the results showed that the physical concepts studied were well consolidated when they allowed students to associate the assimilated content with everyday situations that manifested the same characteristics of the MCU studied within the didactic sequence.
Keywords: Astronomy Education, Uniform Circular Motion, Apparent Motion of Stars, Astronomy Experiment, Physics Education.