No description available.

This study investigated the effectiveness of commonly used instructional methods for teaching the phases of the Moon to fifth and sixth grade students. The instructional methods investigated were the use of diagrams, animations, and models. The effectiveness of each method was tested by measuring students' understanding of Moon phases with a pre and post-assessment after receiving instruction with a specific method or combination of methods. These methods were then evaluated for their ability to help students learn essential concepts, reinforce relevant vocabulary and discourage misconceptions. Results showed that students had better scores with less prevalence of misconception when they were taught using two methods instead of one. Students taught with only computer animations had significantly lower scores and a higher prevalence of misconceptions when compared to the other methods. This may be due to some design errors in the animation used in this study. Even though students taught with only computer animations had significantly lower scores, students taught with computer animations followed by instruction with diagrams had significantly higher scores. Why this combination of instruction was more effective for student learning is a question that requires further research.

Human activities and unpredictable changes to environmental habitats impose a suite of stress and challenges to animal homeostatic function. Stress responses are often controlled by the release of glucocorticoids to mobilize energy, primarily corticosterone in small mammals, to help regulate homeostatic function such as heterothermy and changes to body condition, the latter of which serves as a proxy for energy reserves. Adaptive heterothermy is influenced by daily and seasonal patterns, heat produced from daily activity, and has been shown to increase in small mammals during times of environmental stress to conserve energy budgets. Body condition also changes in response to environmental perturbations, mobilization of energy by corticosterone, seasonal changes, and activity. My study aimed to disentangle the effects of environment and activity on homeostatic responses by pharmacologically manipulating corticosterone in kangaroo rats. Kangaroo rats are ecosystem engineers, heterothermic, and their activity periods are functions of their thermoregulatory patterns as well as environmental conditions thus making the species a great candidate for this form of study. I conducted two in-situ field experiments to assess for the effects of stress responses on thermoregulation, activity, and body condition. In my first experiment, I used body temperature (Tb) as a proxy for activity time and examined how pharmacologically increased corticosterone influenced kangaroo rat heterothermy responses to the moon phases and ambient temperatures. I also examined their fat, lean mass, and water content at the end of the study. Moon phase was a significant predictor of activity period as animals typically waited longer during the waxing moon phase to become active and cooled down below activity earlier in the night during the waning moon phase. As nights shortened, activity decreased despite environmental conditions becoming warmer. Corticosterone also significantly decreased total activity time and thus steadily increased heterothermy across the length of my experiment. These results indicate activity, not environment, are stronger drivers of heterothermy patterns. Total fat content (energy content) at the end of the study was not affected by corticosterone. The lack of change in fat content was presumably because kangaroo rat body condition was measured once at the end of the study and likely not a reflection of changed body condition over time. In my second experiment, I examined body condition across a longer period by measuring lean mass, fat content, and total body water across a 2-month period in the summer by pharmacologically increasing corticosterone to test the relationship between stress and body condition and to dissociate the two from environmental factors. Body condition indices generally increased across the summer, but corticosterone implantation did not significantly affect body any of the indices. The loss of heterothermic control and decrease in activity time across the summer suggests that animals are likely conserving energy budgets leading to preservation of condition. Further, banner-tailed kangaroo rats generally breed in the spring where body condition falls due to stress induced by increased competition and then increases across the summer as late summer monsoons promote the growth of primary resources utilized by animals thereby preserving body condition. This study suggests that body condition is driven more by life-history traits, activity time, and environment rather than stress responses.

The aim of the study was to investigate the quality of diagrams and explanations of moon phases in grade 6 to 8 Natural Science textbooks; to establish whether the textbooks provide scientifically correct content information for learners and teachers and to investigate whether the textbooks used for teaching are effective conceptual development tools for grade 8 learners, specifically when exploring moon phases. The research consisted of two phases, where the first phase investigated the quality of textbooks, and the second phase investigating learners’ ideas about moon phases.

No description available.

Submitted by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-23T17:44:07Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissPCSGS.pdf: 4962933 bytes, checksum: 743628f59c577aa14f19c97309925d35 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-23T17:44:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissPCSGS.pdf: 4962933 bytes, checksum: 743628f59c577aa14f19c97309925d35 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-23T17:44:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissPCSGS.pdf: 4962933 bytes, checksum: 743628f59c577aa14f19c97309925d35 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-23T17:44:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissPCSGS.pdf: 4962933 bytes, checksum: 743628f59c577aa14f19c97309925d35 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-14 / Não recebi financiamento / This research presents results of an investigation of educational pedagogy done with a group of second grade students from an Elementary School. The investigation involved observations of the Moon and educational activities used to teach about Moon phases. An overview of the academic literature on the teaching of the theme of the Moon and its phases was conducted, with a bibliographical review of theses and dissertations, journal articles, papers presented at selected conferences, and some international papers on this topic. From the literature review, it was found that there are few studies that actually address of how observation of the Moon in the sky can be used to effectively teach Moon phases to elementary school students. In this study, students observed and recorded the appearance of the Moon and its place in the sky through drawings. The drawings included the position of the Moon relative to the horizon and used observations made at the school and at their homes during part of a lunar month. Using these initial Moon observations and the student drawings, there were discussions in the classroom designed to consolidate student knowledge. In this research, the data were obtained through interviews, class records, and student observations notebooks. A control group was not used. The researcher was also the teacher of the class where the research was developed. The student observations made it possible for the students to perceive the Moon's apparent motion, as well as its change of appearance over several nights. Through classroom discussions centered on the observations, it was clear that the observations helped develop student concept knowledge of Moon phases that would be difficult to develop from classroom experiences that did not include observations. This experiential connection from the observation of the Moon fostered a relationship with the knowledge implied to the reality of nature. For the initial years, in the Astronomy teaching, this is an important link that can promote the learning of such contents, from the senses of the child and the teacher intervention in a flexible and open way. / Esta pesquisa apresenta resultados de uma investigação desenvolvida com uma turma de alunos do segundo ano do Ensino Fundamental envolvendo a observação da Lua. Inicialmente, com o objetivo de apresentar um panorama das pesquisas sobre o tema Lua e suas fases, foi feita uma revisão bibliográfica a partir de teses e dissertações, artigos de periódicos, trabalhos apresentados em eventos selecionados e alguns trabalhos internacionais. Como resultado, verificou-se que poucos são os trabalhos que utilizam a observação da Lua no céu como parte da metodologia para o ensino e a aprendizagem do tema. Como objetivo de pesquisa, foi proposta e estudada uma metodologia na qual os alunos observaram e registraram a Lua por meio de desenhos, incluindo o horizonte, na escola e em suas casas, ao longo de parte de uma lunação. Priorizando a observação do céu, a partir dos desenhos, houve discussões em sala que foram conduzidas objetivando a sistematização do conhecimento. Com uma pesquisa experimental, sem grupo de controle, os dados foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas, registros de aulas e cadernos de observações dos alunos. A pesquisadora também foi a professora da turma onde a pesquisa foi desenvolvida. A observação do céu possibilitou a percepção pelos alunos do movimento aparente da Lua, bem como sua mudança de aspecto ao longo de várias noites. Por meio das discussões em sala de aula, com o uso dos registros, foi evidenciado que o conhecimento da observação desenvolve um saber a partir da vivência que transcende os limites dados ao conteúdo em sala de aula, possibilitando discussões pouco valorizadas no ensino da Lua e suas fases. Essa conexão experiencial a partir da observação da Lua fomenta uma relação com o conhecimento implicado à realidade da natureza. Para os anos iniciais, no ensino de Astronomia, esta é uma vinculação importante que pode promover a aprendizagem de tais conteúdos, a partir dos sentidos da criança e da intervenção docente de modo flexível e aberto.

Neste projeto fazemos uma discussão sobre o Ensino de Astronomia, em particular sobre o conteúdo das fases da Lua, na perspectiva da formação de conceitos a partir da Teoria histórico-cultural da Atividade. Com base nesse referencial, lançamos uma proposição teórica que relaciona determinado conceito com suas atividades genéticas, isto é, as atividades historicamente determinadas e culturalmente sistematizadas nas quais o conceito emerge. A essa proposição demos o nome de conceito-atividade. A implicação direta dessa relação é que os conceitos passam a ser entendidos como entidades abertas, dinâmicas, multifacetas e controversas. Para explicitar essas outras qualidades do conceito para o caso da Lua, recorremos a alguns episódios e debates da História da Ciência e elementos da cultura popular que serviram de subsídios para analisar a gênese histórica do conceito de Lua e os sentidos a ela atribuídos. Ainda como parte dessa dissertação, apresentamos e avaliamos a implementação de uma proposta didática para os anos finais do Ensino Fundamental cujo propósito era de ensinar a Lua e suas fases e discutir alguns de seus outros sentidos históricos e culturais. As atividades propostas foram bastante diversificadas, compreendendo: observação, simulação, modelização, interpretação e produção textual, desenho, entrevistas, tomadas de medidas e estimativas. As avaliações dos alunos apontam uma compreensão adequada do modelo astronômico. / In this project we reflect on the Astronomy Education, in particular the content of the phases of the Moon, with respect to the formation of concepts from culturalhistorical activity theory. From this framework, we developed a theoretical proposition that relates a given concept with its genetic activities, i.e., activities historically determined and culturally systematized which the concept emerges directed to a purpose. The proposition that we called a concept-activity. The implication of this relationship is that the concepts are understood as open, dynamic, multifaceted and controversial entities. To make clear these qualities from concept to the case of the Moon, we resorting to some episodes and debates of the History of Science. Also as part of this dissertation, we present, discuss and evaluate the implementation of a proposal to the end of secondary school. The sequence of fifteen classes was compiled with the purpose of teaching about the moon and its phases along with some of the other historical meanings attributed by human culture.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:04:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JoseRVC_DISSERT.pdf: 2715338 bytes, checksum: 5573254dd1832c3e09149026c04d3108 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-27 / The interdisciplinary nature of Astronomy makes it a field of great potential to explore various scientific concepts. However, studies show a great lack of understanding of fundamental subjects, including models that explain phenomena that mark everyday life, like the phases of the moon. Particularly in the context of distance education, learning of such models can be favored by the use of technologies of information and communication. Among other possibilities, we highlight the importance of digital materials that motivate and expand the forms of representation available about phenomena and models. It is also important, however, that these materials promote the explicitation of student's conceptions, as well as interaction with the most central aspects of the astronomical model for the phenomenon. In this dissertation we present a hypermedia module aimed at learning about the phases of the moon, drawn from an investigation on the difficulties with the subject during an Astronomy course for teaching training at undergraduate level at UFRN. The tests of three semesters of course were analyzed, taking into account also the alternative conceptions reported in the literature in astronomy education. The product makes use of small texts, questions, images and interactive animations. Emphasizes questions about the illumination of the Moon and other bodies, and their relationship to the sun, the perception from different angles of objects illuminated by a single source, the cause of the alternation between day and night, the identification of Moon's orbit around the Earth and the occurrence of the phases as a result of the position of observing it, and the perception of time involved in the phenomenon. The module incorporated considerations obtained from interviews with students in two poles where its given presential support for students of the course, and subjects from different pedagogical contexts. The final form of the material was used in a real situation of learning, as supplementary material for the final test of the discipline. The material was analyzed by 7 students and 4 tutors, among 56 users, in the period in question. Most students considered that the so called "Lunar Module" made a difference in their learning, the animations were considered the most prominent aspect, the images were indicated as stimulating and enlightening, and the text informative and enjoyable. The analysis of learning of these students, observing their responses to issues raised at the last evaluation, suggested gains in key aspects relating to the understanding of the phases, but also indicates more persistent difficulties. The work leads us to conclude that it is important to seek contributions for the training of science teachers making use of new technologies, with attention to the treatment of computer as a complementary resource. The interviews that preceded the use of the module, and the way student has sought the module if with questions and/or previous conflicts - established great difference in the effective contribution of the material, indicating that it should be used with the mediation of teacher or tutor, or via strategies that cause interactions between students. It is desirable that these interactions are associated with the recovery of memories of the subjects about previous observations and models, as well as the stimulus to new observations of phenomena / A caracter?stica interdisciplinar da astronomia a torna um campo de grande potencial para explorar diversos conceitos cient?ficos. Contudo, estudos demonstram grande defici?ncia na compreens?o de conte?dos fundamentais dessa ci?ncia, inclusive no que se refere a modelos que explicam fen?menos que marcam nosso cotidiano, como as fases da Lua. Particularmente em contextos de ensino a dist?ncia, a aprendizagem de tais modelos pode ser favorecida pelo uso das tecnologias da informa??o e comunica??o. Entre outras possibilidades, destacamos a import?ncia de materiais digitais que motivem e ao mesmo tempo ampliem as formas de representa??o dispon?veis sobre fen?menos e modelos. ? importante, por outro lado, que esses materiais favore?am a explicita??o das concep??es do aluno, bem como a intera??o com os elementos explicativos mais centrais do modelo astron?mico para o fen?meno. Nessa disserta??o ? apresentado um m?dulo hiperm?dia voltado ? aprendizagem sobre as fases da Lua, elaborado a partir de uma investiga??o sobre as dificuldades com o tema no contexto da oferta da disciplina Astronomia para as licenciaturas a dist?ncia da UFRN. As provas de tr?s semestres de oferta da disciplina foram analisadas, levando-se em considera??o tamb?m concep??es alternativas em Astronomia relatadas na licenciatura. O produto elaborado faz uso de pequenos textos, quest?es, imagens e anima??es interativas. D? ?nfase a questionamentos sobre a ilumina??o da Lua e de outros corpos, e sua rela??o com o Sol; a percep??o, a partir de diferentes ?ngulos, de objetos iluminados por uma fonte ?nica; a causa da altern?ncia entre dia e noite; a identifica??o da ?rbita da Lua em torno da Terra e aa ocorr?ncia das fases como resultado da posi??o de observa??o do astro; e a percep??o dos tempos envolvidos no fen?meno. Foram incorporadas, em sua elabora??o, considera??es obtidas em entrevistas realizadas como alunos de dois p?los onde s?o ofertadas as licenciaturas a dist?ncia e com pessoas envolvidas como monitoras da disciplina, na UFRN ou em contextos de divulga??o da Astronomia. A forma final assumida foi disponibilizada em contexto real de ensino, como material complementar para a realiza??o da avalia??o final da disciplina. O material foi analisado por 7 alunos e 4 tutores, dentre os 56 usu?rios do mesmo, no per?odo em quest?o. A maioria dos alunos considera que o M?dulo Lunar , como foi chamado, fez diferen?a em sua aprendizagem; as anima??es foram os elementos mais destacados; as imagens foram consideradas estimulantes e esclarecedoras, e o texto, esclarecedor e agrad?vel. A an?lise da aprendizagem desses alunos, observando suas respostas ? quest?es abordadas na ?ltima avalia??o, sugeriu ganhos em importantes aspectos referentes ao entendimento das fases, mas tamb?m indica dificuldades mais persistentes. O trabalho nos leva a concluir que ? importante buscarmos contribui??es para a forma??o de professores de Ci?ncias fazendo uso de novas tecnologias, mas com aten??o ? necessidade de que tais recursos sejam inseridos como instrumentos auxiliares de Ensino. As entrevistas que antecediam o uso do m?dulo, ou a forma como o aluno o buscava se com d?vidas e/ou conflitos pr?vios, fizeram grande diferen?a na contribui??o efetiva do material, indicando que ele deve ser utilizado com media??o de professor ou tutor, ou via estrat?gias que provoquem intera??es entre alunos. ? desej?vel que essas intera??es sejam associadas ? recupera??o das mem?rias dos sujeitos sobre observa??es anteriores, bem como ao est?mulo a novas observa??es dos fen?menos

Neste projeto fazemos uma discussão sobre o Ensino de Astronomia, em particular sobre o conteúdo das fases da Lua, na perspectiva da formação de conceitos a partir da Teoria histórico-cultural da Atividade. Com base nesse referencial, lançamos uma proposição teórica que relaciona determinado conceito com suas atividades genéticas, isto é, as atividades historicamente determinadas e culturalmente sistematizadas nas quais o conceito emerge. A essa proposição demos o nome de conceito-atividade. A implicação direta dessa relação é que os conceitos passam a ser entendidos como entidades abertas, dinâmicas, multifacetas e controversas. Para explicitar essas outras qualidades do conceito para o caso da Lua, recorremos a alguns episódios e debates da História da Ciência e elementos da cultura popular que serviram de subsídios para analisar a gênese histórica do conceito de Lua e os sentidos a ela atribuídos. Ainda como parte dessa dissertação, apresentamos e avaliamos a implementação de uma proposta didática para os anos finais do Ensino Fundamental cujo propósito era de ensinar a Lua e suas fases e discutir alguns de seus outros sentidos históricos e culturais. As atividades propostas foram bastante diversificadas, compreendendo: observação, simulação, modelização, interpretação e produção textual, desenho, entrevistas, tomadas de medidas e estimativas. As avaliações dos alunos apontam uma compreensão adequada do modelo astronômico. / In this project we reflect on the Astronomy Education, in particular the content of the phases of the Moon, with respect to the formation of concepts from culturalhistorical activity theory. From this framework, we developed a theoretical proposition that relates a given concept with its genetic activities, i.e., activities historically determined and culturally systematized which the concept emerges directed to a purpose. The proposition that we called a concept-activity. The implication of this relationship is that the concepts are understood as open, dynamic, multifaceted and controversial entities. To make clear these qualities from concept to the case of the Moon, we resorting to some episodes and debates of the History of Science. Also as part of this dissertation, we present, discuss and evaluate the implementation of a proposal to the end of secondary school. The sequence of fifteen classes was compiled with the purpose of teaching about the moon and its phases along with some of the other historical meanings attributed by human culture.