Didactic proposal for teaching with simulations for students of professorate in Biological Sciences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a didactic proposal for teaching with simulations (DPTS) and analyze the conditions and didactic moments that accompany its implementation for students of the professorate in Biological Sciences. Thus, it is intended to facilitate the learning of disciplinary content and its didactics, and the acquisition of autonomy in the use of technological resources by future professors. The Forensic EA Lite simulation, a software designed for addressing contents of molecular evolution, was used. Molecular evolution is one of the program units of the subject “Molecular Genetics” in which this proposal was carried out. DPTS was designed, implemented, adjusted through practice and finally resulted in the following didactic moments: presentation, program exploration and appropriation of specific vocabulary, articulation between simulation and disciplinary content, correlation activities, time for metacognition and time for content transfer (enforcement activities). Difficulties and benefits of the proposal for learning the subject, acquisition of autonomy with the technological resource and contributions for teacher training were evaluated. The development and adjustment of the proposal were focused on both didactic decisions made by the teacher to design and put into practice a didactic sequence of the simulation used and on the learning demands of students, in a process of continuous feedback. The proposal facilitated learning of the molecular basis of evolution, made the students exercise autonomy when using technological resources, and provided a form of didactic intervention to teach with simulations in theoretical constructivist frameworks for the practice teachers in training in biology.