Uma proposta de inserção da teoria da relatividade restrita no Ensino Médio via estudo do GPS

Abstract

This paper discusses the potential of insertion of modern physics in high school, with an emphasis on teaching the special theory of relativity by means of the study and explanation of the Global Positioning System (GPS). The study describes a didactic planning of thirteen classes and respective activities, which were developed as part of a master research. This research tried to approach contents which are traditionally not approached at high school, trying to approximate students to daily situations which are related to some technological apparatus. The didactic activities carried out with the participant students sought to develop the skills proposed by the National Curriculum. In addition, the paper presents the elements that guided the development of the didactic planning, as for example the results obtained from the analysis of articles related to the topic relativity, published in ten national and international journals, as well as presenting a reflection on some aspects of a didactic planning. From the obtained results, it is noteworthy that 2.21% of the articles published in the main journals on science education and physics education from 2005 to 2009 were related to the theory of relativity, which was one of the difficulties found in developing the didactic planning. Regarding the students' responses, it should be noted that they considered the study of the GPS and time dilatation relevant, and, besides that, they considered productive to use the connection between the GPS and the special theory of relativity. © by the Sociedade Brasileira de Física.