The students' views on the teaching of physics: a case study

Abstract

The teaching of natural sciences, and especially of physics, has undergone harsh criticism in recent years and is seen by many as outdated and inefficient. Seeking to change this reality, many studies have been conducted by various research groups in various parts of Brazil and the world. This paper presents a case study conducted with high school students from two schools in Aracaju, one public and one private. The objective was to verify the reality of the teaching of physics in these two schools from the point of view of students. Then a comparison was made between these two realities, observing facts now common and the differences between education in these schools. For this a questionnaire was applied to the students, with objective and subjective questions. The results were surprising and serve as a basis for a methodology to help, significantly, the teaching of physics.