We developed a cycle of design, implementation, evaluation and redesign of a teaching learning sequence on the thermal effects of interaction between radiation and matter, infrared emission of bodies, greenhouse effect and global warming. Six high school classes (for a total of 121 students) have been involved in the experimentation of the sequence. The first implementation showed how the introduction of a complex issue requires a progressive conceptual construction and led us to point out a sequence of five cognitive steps necessary to attain a coherent explanation of the greenhouse effect. The accomplishment of these steps entails re-structuring the teaching of thermal phenomena and optics, and discussing the energy balances in stationary conditions of a system exposed to a constant source of energy. The obtained successes and failures and the analysis of the students’ learning progression provided relevant information for challenging the persistent obstacles and misunderstandings. This led to a new cycle of design and implementation of the sequence, involving: the iintroduction of some activities concerning the teaching of basic energy concepts and thermal phenomena; the production of materials for students aimed at helping them both in classroom activities and in a deeper reflection on the topic; the elaboration of a teacher guide explicating the criteria of the proposed path. The experience confirms the usefulness of significant driving issues as centres of interest promoting the learning of scientific concepts and models, and the need of an iterative cycle of design and implementation of the teaching learning paths in order to take into account effects and elements that only a a contextualised practice can reveal.

Learning about greenhouse effect: framing thermal phenomena and optics in a challenging context

BESSON, UGO;DE AMBROSIS VIGNA, ANNA;ONORATO, PASQUALE
2011-01-01

Abstract

We developed a cycle of design, implementation, evaluation and redesign of a teaching learning sequence on the thermal effects of interaction between radiation and matter, infrared emission of bodies, greenhouse effect and global warming. Six high school classes (for a total of 121 students) have been involved in the experimentation of the sequence. The first implementation showed how the introduction of a complex issue requires a progressive conceptual construction and led us to point out a sequence of five cognitive steps necessary to attain a coherent explanation of the greenhouse effect. The accomplishment of these steps entails re-structuring the teaching of thermal phenomena and optics, and discussing the energy balances in stationary conditions of a system exposed to a constant source of energy. The obtained successes and failures and the analysis of the students’ learning progression provided relevant information for challenging the persistent obstacles and misunderstandings. This led to a new cycle of design and implementation of the sequence, involving: the iintroduction of some activities concerning the teaching of basic energy concepts and thermal phenomena; the production of materials for students aimed at helping them both in classroom activities and in a deeper reflection on the topic; the elaboration of a teacher guide explicating the criteria of the proposed path. The experience confirms the usefulness of significant driving issues as centres of interest promoting the learning of scientific concepts and models, and the need of an iterative cycle of design and implementation of the teaching learning paths in order to take into account effects and elements that only a a contextualised practice can reveal.
2011
9789963700448
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/469734
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