From optional modules to basic contents: Contextualizing the teaching-learning process in physics

Abstract

Results of research show that the interest of students in the different topics of physics, although high at the 5th grade of primary school, is very low when they reach the 4th grade of secondary school. However, results also show that there are some topics and, some contexts especially, which awaken the interests of boys and girls. Based upon these results, a new methodological approach is proposed, where the starting point are some events familiar to the students. This approach has allowed us to obtain a much higher motivation and better achievement of the students.