Inserção do tema de Física Nuclear no ensino médio: desconstruindo e construindo um novo olhar sobre radioatividade e energia nuclear

Abstract

This dissertation results from a qualitative and quantitative research of a master's degree program in Science and Mathematics Education - PPGEduCIMAT - from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ. The research values students' prior knowledge on the topic of Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy, deconstructing and building a new perspective on these two topics of Nuclear Physics, towards a Meaningful Learning. Transcending the view of something deemed purely dangerous is the challenge of topics filled with myths and truths. The objectives were: to show the presence of Nuclear Physics in people's daily lives, demystifying negative concepts stemming from common sense and to create a discussion about common sense, through pedagogical intervention, in order to arouse interest in scientific knowledge. Thus, a Didactic Sequence for Teaching and Learning the contents of Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy was prepared as a final product. The methodology that guided this study was Action Research, tracing paths until acknowledging the use of Active Methodology in the application of the Didactic Sequence. Applied in two classes of a Federal Public School located in the city of Itaguaí / RJ and in four classes of a State Public School located in the city of Rio de Janeiro / RJ, the educational product was designed to take place in four moments: at first, entitled “Arousing curiosity”, the teacher as a researcher acclimates students with a playful activity, makes a diagnostic assessment of the class's opinion regarding the topic of Radioactivity and proposes a challenge to students; in the second moment, called “breaking taboos”, students become protagonists in the teaching-learning process and present their research on the subject; the third moment was identified as “creating intimacy with Nuclear Physics” and the teacher as a researcher gives an oral presentation to students with a focus on applications of Nuclear Physics in everyday life; and the fourth moment, named “stepping on Radioactive soil”, consists of a guided visit to a non-formal teaching space that raises discussions on the topic. The results were surprising, the goal was reached in a pleasant way for both parties. This success happened when the personalization of the teaching, giving autonomy to the students and the protagonism in the process of approaching the themes of Nuclear Physics, reflected in a very significant change regarding the positive view of topics that were not attractive in the past.