Banca de DEFESA: CÍCERO ERNANDES DE MELO SANTOS

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : CÍCERO ERNANDES DE MELO SANTOS
DATE: 15/08/2025
TIME: 09:30
LOCAL: Google Meet
TITLE:

Use of virtual and augmented reality in the STEM context: implications for teaching scientific concepts

KEY WORDS:

Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, STEM, Educational Technologies.

PAGES: 142
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Educação
SUMMARY:

In the context of the growing global challenges of the 21st century, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education can be considered a potentially relevant approach for preparing students for contemporary challenges. Recognizing the importance of overcoming the barriers of traditional teaching, this dissertation explored the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) as pedagogical tools for teaching abstract scientific concepts that are difficult to represent or costly to demonstrate, such as those found in STEM subjects. The research sought to answer the question: how can the use of augmented and virtual reality applications contribute to improving the quality of teaching, fostering the understanding of scientific concepts from a STEM perspective? The objective was to analyze how the use of AR and VR applications, based on the STEM approach, can influence the perception of scientific phenomena and concepts and the engagement of high school students during learning. To this end, a quantitative-qualitative approach was adopted, characterized as a case study, documentary, and exploratory research, conducted with 15 students from a Pernambuco state school in the municipality of Serra Talhada. The methodology was divided into six stages: (I) survey and analysis of AR and VR applications aimed at teaching STEM concepts on Google Play; (II) analysis of the selected applications according to the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (TCAM) and the Educational Application Evaluation Model (MAAE); (III) development of two specific educational applications—one AR and the other VR—for teaching concepts related to Water Treatment Plants; (IV) systematic literature review on strategies for applying AR and VR in STEM education; (V) planning and implementation of a teaching sequence; (VI) application of the developed applications and data collection on student perceptions. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and logbook, analyzed using Bardin's Content Analysis and descriptive statistics. The results suggest a trend toward positive perceptions. Although the limited number of participants requires caution in generalizing these findings, the contributions to detailed visualization of scientific concepts, increased engagement, and improved classroom participation are noteworthy. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis showed averages above 3.5 (on a scale of 1 to 5) in all dimensions assessed, while the qualitative analysis identified categories such as "overall positive experience," "technological innovation," and "facilitates learning," indicating that the developed applications contributed to both the cognitive and motivational aspects of learning. The challenges identified were primarily related to device incompatibility and ergonomic aspects. Finally, the research contributes to understanding the potential of VR and AR technologies in STEM education, offering insights for the development of innovative pedagogical practices and highlighting the importance of harmonious integration between technology and pedagogy to maximize the educational benefits of immersive technologies.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - BRUNO SILVA LEITE
Interno - RODRIGO LINS RODRIGUES
Externo à Instituição - MARCELO MAIA CIRINO - UEL