Uma proposta de sequência didática para o ensino de Astronomia na educação básica com o uso do software Astro 3D

Abstract

The observation of the bodies and celestial phenomena arouses the attention of humans since the prime of humanity. From the curiosity about their movements and behaviors in the celestial sphere scientific theories has emerged that seek the explanations for the occurrences of the astronomical phenomena about the existence of other celestial bodies and the origin of the universe. Thus, the study of celestial phenomena contributes to the development of various areas of knowledge. However, the astronomy’s teaching is still incipient, and indeed absent in most schools in the country. Among the various explanations for this situation is the lack of adequate didactic materials. Before this reality, in this thesis we present a didactic sequence for astronomy’s teaching which has been developed with reference to the use of Astro 3D software. This software, developed in partnership with the Educational Technology Laboratory of UNIFAL-MG, is a simulator of the movements of the stars in the topocentric and heliocentric references. It is possible to simulate astronomical phenomena with short and long time scales. To develop this work the chosen theoretical referentials was the three pedagogical moments of Delizoicov and Angotti. They were used during the application of a didactic sequence with five astronomical themes, chosen according to Langhi’s catalog of alternative conceptions. To apply the teaching sequence 3D Astro it was used as the main teaching resource. This study was conducted with 25 students in a 1st year of high school class of a public school in Minas Gerais. After applying the teaching sequence, the students developed an activity in the computer laboratory and answered a diagnosis questionnaire. From the qualitative analysis of the students' answers in the questionnaire and in the activity in the computer laboratory, we noticed that the Astro 3D, along with the methodology described above, is a teaching resource that contributes for astronomical concepts’ learning and also the deconstruction of alternative conceptions about various astronomical phenomena.