Abstract:

The daily continuous contact with technology brings out the necessity of innovating the ways how to teach for Internet Generation students, here considered digital natives. When using resources which facilitate these students’ learning has been a challenge for teachers, since they are increasingly engaged to the “digital era”. On Physics teaching this lack is obviously presented itself where it is constant the need for abstraction and the traditional classes are considered boring and unattractive. Thus, from the theme of Universal Gravitation, this work will search answers for such questions: Is the traditional Physics teaching actually effective? Can the Digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) actually make the difference on learning? In order to get answers, a Participatory Research was carried out with third year high public school students from the center-west region of the state of Minas Gerais. Aiming to analyze the effect of the new technologies on teaching, classes using different methodologies were taught: traditional theoretical class using Models and Analogies and by means of ICT, in which, basic resources such as common classroom, printed teaching material, whiteboard and markers were used; at the second class a physical model similar to the outer space (Liquid Planetary) was reproduced which was developed by the Grupo de Estudos de Metáforas, Modelos e Analogias em Ciências (GEMATEC) - Group of Studies of Metaphors, Models and Analogies in Science - from the Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais (CEFET); at the third class, the Russian software Space Engine, which simulates the universe and allows to user's interaction as he/she was traveling through this space was used. During this classes application, the students learning, satisfaction, motivation and interest were checked. The observations done through the collected data by means of questionnaires have demonstrated that the theoretical class is essential, but on the other hand the use of the new technologies has brought much more motivation, understanding and a more effective learning. Thus, it is clear that the teacher has to adapt according to each student necessity, what leads to how important is the use of different methodologies such as those aforementioned. It was also noticed that these teaching methods are the start point to reach the desired meaningful learning and we never should impose limits for education. It is necessary to believe that the teaching methodologies seems a horizon with an infinit chance of expanding, as well as the Universe is believed to be.

Keywords:

Education, New Methodologies, Physics Teaching, Universal Gravitation.