THE USE OF PHET COLORADO AS A PEDAGOGICAL RESOURCE FOR TEACHING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS IN HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

The study addresses the central question of how to overcome the limitations of traditional teaching of electrical circuits in high school, especially in contexts with limited laboratory resources. The objective is to investigate the effectiveness of the PhET Colorado simulator as a pedagogical tool to facilitate the understanding of electrical circuit concepts, promoting an interactive approach that combines theory and practice. The research was applied to a third-year high school class, where students were able to manipulate variables such as resistance and voltage in circuit simulations, favoring the understanding of complex concepts such as Ohm's Law. The main results indicate that PhET Colorado not only facilitates the understanding of the contents, but also stimulates the protagonism and critical thinking of students, actively engaging them in the learning process. Interactive simulation proved to be effective for the development of cognitive skills and greater retention of content, overcoming the limitations of traditional expository methodologies. It is concluded that the PhET is an accessible and inclusive tool, which democratizes the teaching of Physics by providing a practical and meaningful experience, aligned with the demands of contemporary education. As future perspectives, the study suggests the exploration of PhET in other areas of Physics and the integration with collaborative methodologies, such as problem-based learning, to further enrich scientific teaching and encourage the exchange of knowledge among students in an interactive environment and critical reflection.