Ferramentas de inteligência artificial no contexto do ensino de física e astronomia na educação profissional e tecnológica

Abstract

It is known that school plays a major role in awakening students to contextualized scientific training. These studies may approach the scientific knowledge and the students' daily lives. About the sciences with more abstract concepts, such as Physics, or considering circumstances and phenomena more distant, as in Astronomy, studies can be a challenge for teachers and students. In this sense, this research approaches the intersection between astronomy, artificial intelligence, and technological and professional education, highlighting the importance of understanding and dissemination of scientific knowledge in those areas to promote innovative pedagogical practices. Considering the known problem related to Physics learning difficulties, we aim to investigate which is the nature of these difficulties among high school students from Electrotechnics technical course in the integrated modality in Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piauí campus Parnaíba. From this investigation, we aim to propose an educational product to intervene with this reality. The methodological path was structured in three stages: diagnosis of difficulties, design of the interdisciplinary didactic sequence with support from digital technologies and AI, and pedagogical validation of the educational product. Thus, this research was characterized as a qualitative case study, using questionnaires and data analysis collected from the students. Based on this diagnosis, a didactic sequence was developed integrating Physics, Astronomy, and AI, aiming to reduce these difficulties and to approximate the content to students’ reality. A diagnostic questionnaire revealed considerable difficulties in the topics of stellar clusters and populations (57.9%), expanding universe/Hubble’s Law and Milky Way (36.8% each), and the origin of the universe (26.3%). It was observed that 63.2% of the students reported difficulties in reading and understanding didactic materials, 57.9% pointed out lack of time for studying, and a significant portion presented gaps from Elementary Education. Moreover, 63.2% of students did not use digital tools in their studies, and 52.6% were unable to visualize practical applications of Astronomy, while 78.9% did not perceive a connection between astronomical knowledge and their future professional practice. Therefore, it was possible to identify the main barriers in the teaching of Physics and Astronomy in VTE, highlight the potential of digital technologies and AI as mediating tools, and, through the educational product developed, offer an innovative pedagogical proposal that promotes meaningful learning, interdisciplinarity, and alignment with the contemporary demands of vocational and technological training.