Abstract:

This article aims to present the results obtained as results of an experience developed in the context of a Federal Institution of Technical Education, with 11 students of Industrial Automation, integrated with High School. Therewith, it is expected to highlight the importance of using effective methods and techniques in teaching practices, especially, subsidized from the techniques used in the teaching of Science. For the planning and organization of this experience were used as reference the Pedagogical Project of the Course and the Resolution CNE/CEB nº 04/99 and studies carried out by leading authors in the field such as: Matos e Morais (2004), Millar (2004), Dewey (2007). In this report, the term "experimental activities" assumes the meaning of experiments carried out in the school, in order to allow the students involvement with their five senses. Following this approach, it was held an activity in the laboratory of electric drives. The proposed activity consisted in explaining the natural existence of lags that occur between forms of voltage and current waves in a three-phase electric circuit connected in Y (type of electric connection), as well as the emergence of a multiplicative factor in the amplitude of these electrical parameters. With this experience it was established the importance of practical activities in school, since, through these situations students are challenged to find solutions to problem solving and/or construction of products, individually or in group. This dynamic certainly allowed students to have the chance to experience the theoretical grounds exposed by the teacher, more contextualized, in the classroom. It is noteworthy that, by variable manipulation, we could encourage them to search for understanding, contributing to an increased interest in the study. In the students report, it was explicit that the contribution of the practical activity favored significantly their learning about the content covered.

Keywords:

Experimental Activities, Teaching and Learning, Medium/Technical Education, Industrial Automation.