VISUALIZATION AND AN EVALUATION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS´ PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT SEASONS

Abstract

This work investigates the preconceptions about the seasons presented by 961 undergraduate students in a discipline of introduction to Physics. We analyze 3 questions of a pretest that was applied in 8 consecutive semesters between 2013 and 2016. From a theoretical perspective that seeks to understand the role of visualization in Science Education, we seek to analyze the way students associate (or not) the orbital model adopted and their respective explanations for the seasons. The data collection instrument used allows to found the indications of this association. The results indicate that most students have a misconception about the shape of the Earth's orbital motion, which, coupled with their justification for the existence of the seasons, becomes inconsistent. A very small group of this universe, 55 (6%) students, can present a coherent explanation in terms of this change of perspective.