Investigando a efetividade de uma UEPS para o ensino de energia e suas transformações no Ensino Médio

Abstract

The various challenges of current education indicate that pedagogical innovation is necessary, especially the preparation of teachers for the use of new resources and pedagogical tools. It is necessary to rethink how to involve students in the practices we propose and how to develop, in the best possible way and with well-defined objectives, the content proposed to be taught. Considering all these aspects, this research proposes a sequence for teaching and learning a specific theme in Physics, related to the content of energy and its transformations. Understanding the concept of energy represents one of the greatest challenges in teaching Physics, especially in Basic Education. Given the conceptual complexity involved and the recurring fragmented approach found in pedagogical practices, it is essential to adopt strategies that favor meaningful learning for students. In this sense, the proposal of Potentially Significant Teaching Units (UEPS) developed by Marco Antônio Moreira offers a reference for the organization of teaching, centered on promoting meaningful learning for the student. The UEPS is structured to consider students' prior knowledge, logically organized content sequenced, and activities that encourage interaction, problematization, and contextualization. By adopting this proposal as a basis, this paper presents the development and application of an educational board game, conceived as a teaching resource, with the objective of engaging students in a playful process of knowledge construction, promoting the articulation between physical concepts and their manifestations in everyday life. Throughout this paper, the theoretical basis that supports the proposal will be presented, with an emphasis on David Ausubel's theory of meaningful learning and the practical application of the UEPS. Next, the process of designing the game, its application in a school environment, and the results obtained through qualitative analysis of student interactions and the learning evidenced will be detailed. In the São Paulo State Curriculum, the theme of this work is expected to be addressed in both Elementary and High School, the latter being the scope of this work. The proposed Educational Product activities were planned by articulating several pedagogical resources, some already provided for in the São Paulo State Curriculum and others constructed in this work, such as the board game, with the implementation and results observed in the proposed activities. The project's results explored concepts of energy and its transformations, providing an interactive and dynamic environment for students. The research was carried out in a public school, using a qualitative and quantitative methodology, through questionnaires, classroom observations and analysis of academic performance. The results indicate an increase in student engagement, greater interest in the subject and a significant improvement in the understanding of the content covered. In addition, the game facilitated the contextualization of concepts, allowing students to relate learning to everyday situations. Thus, it is concluded that the use of educational games is another tool that can be effective and make the teaching of Physics more attractive and accessible, promoting learning that can become meaningful.