Simulating collisions. Integration of technology at the secondary level

Abstract

The use of simulations in the classroom provides teachers with an alternative tool for teaching Physics. In the current work, we discuss the results obtained during the implementation of a teaching strategy on the subject of elastic and inelastic collisions in one dimension. This strategy was implemented with students enrolled in the fourth year of high school, who had no previous knowledge on the subject. At class, we used a simulation as part of a wider study on the impact of open educational resources. The activities were carried out with the interpretation of images as a complement to the simulations. Students showed enthusiasm in the task and most of them succeeded in interpreting the physical phenomenon. However, the time frame available for carrying out the tasks was not enough for them to acquire scientific vocabulary.