Teaching kinematics based on the peer instruction methodology for EJA students

Abstract

The study of physics has faced major challenges in society, mainly related to its conceptualization. Teaching this subject in Youth and education Adult (EJA) presents an even greater setback than regular education, given that the classes have divergent age groups, students who distant from a classroom for more than 20 years, among other situations that tend to stifle teaching in EJA. Due to this diversity of experiences, personal and professional, it was decided to apply a method mainly based on concepts of physics and basic kinematics, in which the student could be seen as an active figure in learning. Because this approach is more conceptual than mathematical, we used Professor Eric Mazur’s Peer Instruction (PI) methodology, which deals mainly with conceptual issues and interaction between groups or peers. The application of this methodology had as aid the development of reading activities that aimed to collaborate the understanding of the concepts to be approached in conceptual questions. When applied, the EJA student, because of this specific methodology, was able to understand the fundamental notions of kinematics and to perform simple mathematical operations. The methodology development took place in two first year high school classes of the EJA, and the results were compared with a first year high school class in which there the PI methodology was not adopted. The analysis of the results was based on the study of Hake’s normalized earnings. Moreover, these data were compared to other national and international literature.