The purpose of this study is to investigate student interactions with simulations, and teacher support of those interactions, within naturalistic high school physics classroom settings. This study focuses on data from two lesson sequences that were conducted in several physics classrooms. The lesson sequences were conducted in a whole class discussion format in approximately half of the class sections and in a hands-on-computer small group format in matched class sections. Analysis used a mixed methods approach where: (1) quantitative methods were used to evaluate pre-post data; (2) open coding and selective coding were used for transcript analysis; and (3) comparative case studies were used to consider the quantitative and qualitative data in light of each other and to suggested possible explanations. Although teachers expressed the expectation that the small group students would learn more, no evidence was found in pre-post analysis for an advantage for the small group sections. Instead, a slight trend was observed in favor of the whole class discussion sections, especially for students in the less advanced sections. In seeking to explain these results, qualitative analyses of transcript and videotape data were conducted, revealing that many more episodes of support for interpreting visual elements of the simulations occurred in the whole class setting than in the matched small group discussions; not only teachers, but, at times, students used more visual support moves in the whole class discussion setting. In addition, concepts that had been identified as key were discussed for longer periods of time in the whole class setting than in the matched small group discussions in six of nine matched sets. For one of the lesson sequences, analysis of student work on in-class activity sheets identified no evidence that any of the Honors or College Preparatory students in the small groups had made use in their thinking of the key features of the sophisticated and popular physics simulation they had used, while such evidence was identified in the work of many of the whole class students. Analysis of the whole class discussions revealed a number of creative teaching strategies in use by the teachers that may have helped offset the advantage of hands-on experience with the simulations and animations enjoyed by the small group students. These results suggest that there may exist whole class teaching strategies for promoting at least some of the active thinking and exploration that has been considered to be the strength of small group work, and appear to offer encouragement to teachers who do not have the resources to allow their classes to engage regularly in small group work at the computer. Furthermore, these examples suggest the somewhat surprising possibility that there may be certain instructional situations where there is an advantage to spending at least part of the time with a simulation or animation in a whole class discussion mode.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work presents a proposal to jointly use educational games, experimental activities and computer simulations using the Modellus software in teaching as teaching-learning technique of physics content in general. The content addressed in this work is the hydrodynamics and its application in the physical concepts involved in flying aircraft. The survey was conducted with students of the second year of high school in two public schools. We use a didactic sequence using own teaching materials, whose material was guided by low-cost experiments. We use as a motivating theme a paper airplane championship held in two stages. In the first meeting within the school itself and the last meeting in a dispute between the two schools carried out in the UFS. The theoretical framework is based on the theory of mental models of John Laird and in the theory of meaningful learning of Ausubel, so that the evaluations of previous knowledge of the students were made through evaluation of test type questionnaire. Learning content is reinforced through the use of computer simulation using the software Modellus. The students´ evaluation was made with the use of educational games: crosswords, word searches and games of the seven errors. The assessment was carried out by applying questions of the type alternative conceptions, which was applied at the beginning and end of each activity in the instructional sequence. The results were evaluated in qualitative and quantitative way, comparing student performance before and after the application of instructional sequence. The results indicate that the use of educational games, experimental activities and the software complement each other providing motivation to students, as well as, in most cases, meaningful learning and increased in interest in the subject of Physics. / O presente estudo realiza uma proposta de se utilizar conjuntamente jogos educacionais, atividades experimentais e simulações computacionais usando o software Modellus como técnica de ensino-aprendizagem de conteúdos de Física no ensino médio. Neste trabalho, o conteúdo abordado é o de hidrodinâmica e sua aplicação nos conceitos físicos envolvidos no voo de aviões. A pesquisa foi realizada com a participação de estudantes da segunda série do ensino médio de duas escolas da rede pública. Utilizamos uma sequência didática a partir de um material didático próprio, previamente elaborado a partir de textos disponíveis em diversos meios como sites, livros, artigos etc. Como tema motivador realizou-se um campeonato de avião de papel realizado em dois momentos: no primeiro encontro, dentro da própria escola, e no último encontro em uma disputa entre as duas escolas, realizado na UFS. O referencial teórico se baseia na teoria dos Modelos Mentais de Johnson-Laird e na teoria da aprendizagem significativa de Ausubel. As avaliações dos conhecimentos prévios dos alunos foram realizadas através de questões como por exemplo, retiradas de vestibulares ou de livros. Reforçava-se o aprendizado do conteúdo através do uso de simulação computacional usando o software Modellus. A avaliação das atividades dos alunos foi feita com o uso de jogos didáticos: cruzadinhas, caça palavras e jogos dos sete erros. Realizou-se a avaliação do projeto através da aplicação de questões do tipo concepções alternativas, que era aplicada no início e no final de cada atividade na sequência didática. Os resultados foram avaliados na forma quali-quantitativa, comparando-se o desempenho dos estudantes antes e depois da aplicação da sequência didática. Os resultados indicam que o uso dos jogos educacionais, atividades experimentais e o software se complementam, proporcionando motivação aos alunos, como também, em sua maioria, uma aprendizagem significativa e aumento no interesse pela disciplina de Física.

Science fiction is particularly apt as bioethical thought experiment. In considering the theories of James R. Brown, John D. Norton and Marco Buzzoni, I suggest that mental-modeling theories afford the best explanation for what thought experiments can do. I propose a version of mental modeling that has the flexible modalities of experience found in Nancy J. Nersessian's account, combined with Nenad Miš?evi?'s compelling vision of how existing knowledge is used to create mental models, and Tamar Gendler's use of schemas to understand ethical thought experiments. Bioethics makes use of thought experiments' capacity to move from abstraction to discrete instances. Sometimes thought experiments will be better, and sometimes real cases will be unavailable. Given the cognitive advantages that access to mental models provides, thought experiments will be of use in the field of bioethics. To identify literature that is thought-experimental I look to Geordie McComb's family resemblance theory, and consider accounts of literary thought experiments by Noel Carroll and Edward Davenport. Extended narratives will in some cases be more useful for ethical understanding than philosophical thought experiments. Science fiction has this same advantage: as ethical narrative it is detailed and humanized. In addition the specula-tive nature of science fiction lends itself to the exploration of new and emerging sciences and technologies including those in the field of bioethics.