Using PhET™ Interactive Simulation Plate Tectonics on Initial Teacher Education

Abstract

Abstract. Using digital educational resources on science education is an effective way of promoting students content knowledge of complex natural processes. This work presents the usage of a digital educational resource (DER) CreativeLab_Sci&Math | Plate Tectonics, that explores the PhET™ Plate Tectonics simulator, on the context of pre-service teachers (PST) education. It was analysed the preservice-teachers performance on the five tasks in which the DER was organized. Results show that the DER contribute for the successful achievement of PST of the following learning outcomes: describing the differences between the oceanic crust and continental crust regarding temperature, density, composition and thickness; associating the plate tectonic movements with their geological consequences; identifying the plate tectonic movements that cause the formation of some geological structures. Results also show that PST considered PhET™ Plate tectonics simulator contributed for their learning about plate tectonics.