A interpretação de gráficos de movimento

Abstract

In contemporary society, visual representations such as charts, tables and other inscriptions are considered common tools for applications that present quantitative information. Visual representations can be found in different social environments: they are displayed in print and digital media, adopted as a standard tool for scientific thinking and communication , and considered as a basic component for scientific education. Science education is characterized by intense use of charts, which is emphasized in physics, wherein charts are used to describethe behavior of variables. This discipline uses graphs on practically all subjects, especially in the study of motion. Therefore, learning to use graphical language becomes essential to meet a social demand and also for understanding phenomena addressed by physics and othersciences. Despite the relevance of graphics, researches conducted in several countries indicate that students from all segments and even graduates face difficulties in reading and interpreting graphs. Tests and surveys such as PISA and INAF reveal that a significant portion of theyoung and adult population develops little of these competencies and practices during basic education. This research aims to investigate students' understanding about using graphs applied to describing motion and also to comprehend how such use changes during a short course on graph. Students who participated in this research were in the final year of elementary school. The research has as its focus the ways students invent, interpret and communicate inscriptions related to specific situations. The results indicate that those students have a repertoire of graphic forms that are suitable to represent and interpret simple situations commonly treated by the media. However, the use of graphics in kinematics is constrained by the shallow conceptual understanding of the magnitudes represented, and therefore, graphics are not always used in a natural way by the students. The difficulties, strategies and resources expressed by students are presented and discussed. Implications for teaching and learning are also discussed.