Um passeio não-aleatório pelos paradoxos da teoria quântica para o ensino médio

Abstract

In this work we present a possibility of inserting topics of quantum theory and nature of science, through the elaboration of a textbook for high school, in which we pursue the trail of three beautiful quantum paradoxes, the ultraviolet catastrophe paradox, the paradox of wave-particle duality and the paradox of reality. To this end, we start from two fundamental hypotheses, the first that the exploration of the historical and epistemological aspects in which these paradoxes are involved are facilitating means of establishing the process of scientific literacy and meaningful learning. The second, in turn, is the consideration that the heuristic device called Gowin's epistemological diagram, constitutes a facilitator and organizer of knowledge for possible discussions and also for learning assessment. We also argue about the need for greater integration between the results of research in physics teaching in the school context and, therefore, about the correct use of these results by high school teachers, about the need for curricular updating and about the obstacles and challenges. concerning the insertion of modern physics in the context of high school. Still, we pay particular attention to the paradoxically ambiguous role of mathematics in teaching quantum theory. We present Ausubel's theory of meaningful learning and the possibility of using Gowin's epistemological diagrams for the teaching of quantum theory. As far as physical theory is concerned, what we propose is a non-random walk through the paradoxes of quantum theory, dealing with fundamental themes, ranging from Planck's interpolation to the famous debate between Einstein and Bohr on quantum reality. Also, we present and discuss the results obtained with our educational proposal. The didactic experiment was conducted from October to November 2019, when we applied our instructional material, consisting of a textbook and a teaching sequence, in a high school class, which had the effective participation of Thirteen high school students in a state school in the state of Alagoas.