Teaching of Physics

   CONTENTS  

Foreword

Research Structures

Energy, Environment, and Biodiversity

Humanities and Ethics

Culture and Education

Society and Development

Information and Communication Technology

Biology and Health

Research Structures and Researchers

About

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Going beyond the classroom

Through the Research Group on the Teaching of Physics (GPEF), PUCRS was one of the universities that participated in the Traces (Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities and Education in Science) project whose main aim was to investigate the factors that contribute to the gap between research and teaching in fundamental education. Funded by the European Union (the Seventh Framework Program for Research – FP7), Traces reunited researchers from Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

The first stage included the investigation of documents on national public policies (projects, reforms, and institutional guidelines) in addition to a qualitative and quantitative survey of the views of several actors in science education (teachers, researchers, principals, managers, etc.).

The second stage involved field actions at schools. The main aim was to develop classroom activities based on inquiry based teaching approach. In Brazil, the sample comprised 15 public schools within three Rio Grande do Sul counties (Porto Alegre, Guaíba, and Lajeado).

Finally, the guidelines produced by each country were integrated to suggest improved approaches to science education. Such guidelines were presented and discussed at Naples (Italy) in April 2012. The Brazilian conclusions emphasized topics such as the active and collaborative inclusion of teachers in research; increased communication in schools, universities, and the government; and the involvement of families in studies.

In addition to the PUCRS team, coordinated by Professor João Batista Siqueira Harres (GPEF chair), the project included the following universities: Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), National Pedagogic University (Colombia), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), National University of Salta (Argentina), and University of Naples, which chaired the project. University Center UNIVATES was also a Brazilian partner of this project.