The interesting themes and uses according to students in Physics textbooks

ABSTRACT

There is a gap in the Brazilian scientific researches about textbooks regarding large-scale investigations of these materials uses in the classroom and the preferences and opinions of students and teachers about them. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to identify the interests according to the High School Brazilian students in 23 items of the Physics textbook, as well as compare the results with similar studies. A survey was applied to 374 students from five Brazilian regions with the possibility of comparing the answers according to the strata, such as the respondent's gender and age. Exercises from admission tests and National tests (ENEM), as well as the functioning of technological products are the most valued items by the students. Biographies, team tasks, and the historical context of the scientific developments are the least interesting. There were no often differences among the strata surveyed, showing some homogeneity about the textbook preferences throughout the Brazilian territory. These results has potential interest also to physics teachers, authors and publishers of learning materials, who can focus their work on themes more suitable for students.

Keywords:
Physics textbooks; Secondary School; High School; Qualitative research; Physics teaching