Simulações computacionais no ensino superior: um estudo sobre as concepções de docentes de química

Abstract

With the establishment of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of the advances and use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) to aid pedagogical practice at different levels of education, this research aims to analyze the understandings that chemistry teachers from a Higher Education Institution (HEI) have about the use of computational simulators (CS). In this sense, this research is configured as a qualitative study in which data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with seven teachers and subsequently analyzed in such a way that two main groupings emerged: a) Experimentation in Chemistry Teaching: scenarios, proposals, and teacher understandings, which investigated the occurrence of practical disciplines during ERT, the adaptations made by teachers, and their understandings of the laboratory and experimental activities; and b) Computational Simulations in Undergraduate Chemistry Courses: applications, domains, and criteria, which investigated the contexts of use and application of CS, seeking the knowledge and domains teachers have on the subject. In addition, the necessary criteria for the application of CS in the didactic context in which they operate were investigated. It was identified that the methods used in practical classes during ERT were not satisfactory for teachers who understand experimental practice as an important element in the chemistry course, and it could not be replaced by tools mediated by DICT. Thus, the laboratory is understood as a preparatory space with the purpose of qualifying students for the professional market. Regarding the understandings of CS, various possibilities were pointed out, including exploring different conceptual levels of chemistry and assisting research carried out in experimental laboratories. On the other hand, some obstacles were identified, such as the need for students to differentiate models from real objects, the limited time available in classes, the lack of teacher training, and the unfamiliarity with platforms and software.