Utilização de um software de hipermídia para o ensino do conceito de equivalência massa e energia em uma turma de 2ª série do ensino médio

Abstract

In the present study we have investigated the occurrence of meaningful learning of the concept mass-energy equivalence by High School students. We made use of a new tool, an hypermedia software called Topics on Modern Physics for the High School, specially designed to teach modern physics concepts. A didactic sequence oriented by Ausubel's Meaningful Learning theory making use of the software has been elaborated and applied to High School students in a class of the 11´th level of the public educational system of the Jataí city - Goiás. The following tools to access students’ knowledge were used: a diagnostic evaluation, composed by an initial and a final evaluation (written tests) and a simulated judgment about the implantation of a nuclear power plant in the city. The groups of students played different roles in the judgment: some students represented the power plant owners, others different groups in the Jataí’s society. The questions composing the tests were designed to investigate the knowledge of the students in three different comprehension levels (cognitive functions) - enunciation, understanding and application. The analyses of the results allowed us verify that the students at the end of the activities were in process of construction of the concept mass-energy equivalence. In the simulated judgment it has been verified that the students' arguments were based on the texts found on the hypermedia software. The students' group that represented the nuclear power station plant owners was positioned in favor of the implantation of the nuclear power plant in the Jataí city. The other groups were positioned contrary. They made use of the following arguments: risks of nuclear accident; contamination of the rivers; contamination of the soil causing damage to the farmers; Chernobyl´s accident; and Goiânia´s accident.