Remote labs in high school: a case study in physics teaching

Abstract

This document explored remote laboratories (LR) and their potential for practical activities in Physics in high school. LRs are devices that can support experimental activities, which are one of the key aspects of science teaching and learning processes. The research, with a qualitative approach, used a case study as a strategy. Participated in the research, carried out in 2017, 2 teachers, and 454 students, from 13 classes, from a public school in Uberlândia/MG. The collection was carried out through two questionnaires, one directed to the students, composed of 25 items, distributed in the subscales: usability, learning perception, satisfaction, and usefulness. The second, composed of two open questions, was applied to teachers who participated in the research. The average Likert score for the 25 items was 3.94 and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient found was 0.85. The interpretation of the data showed that the perception, on the part of students and teachers, that the remote laboratories showed benefits to the study of Physics. Making it possible to harmonize theory with practice, mainly due to the lack of laboratory infrastructure in public schools. Participants also highlighted the possibility of carrying out practices at any place and time.