Modelagem física da condução elétrica cardíaca: uma abordagem estrutural via circuitos RC

Abstract

This work presents the development and application of a didactic sequence based on the structured use of analogies between electrical circuits and the cardiac electrical conduction system, aimed at promoting conceptual and meaningful learning of electricity in technical secondary education. The proposal was developed as an educational product of the Professional Master's Program in Physics Teaching (MNPEF) and applied to two third-year classes at the Escola Estadual de Educação Profissional Maria José Medeiros, in Fortaleza, Ceará — one from the Nursing technical program (n = 35) and one from the Computer Networks program (n = 39). The theoretical framework articulates Ausubel's meaningful learning theory, interdisciplinarity between Physics and Biology, the nature of scientific models, and Glynn's Teaching With Analogies (TWA) model, adopted as the methodological foundation of the sequence. The educational product is structured in six modules that establish correspondences between electrical circuit elements, electromotive force, capacitor, resistance, RC circuit and cardiac conduction structures, sinoatrial node, cell membrane, atrioventricular node, and Purkinje fibers, with each module including a problem situation, conceptual development, biological analogy, model limitations, and a proposal for computational simulator use. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, with data collected through pre-test, post-test, and formative activities evaluated by a three-level analytical rubric based on the TWA model. Results indicate a learning gain of +31.8% in the Nursing group and +29.1% in Computer Networks, with the greatest impact on analogical questions, particularly the correspondence between the sinoatrial node and the electromotive force source, with gains of +74.3% and +58.5%, respectively. Analysis of the formative activities reveals a predominantly relational level in both groups across the first four activities, with progression to the adequate level in the ECG synthesis activity in the Nursing group. The results confirm that the structured analogies approach, based on the TWA model with intentional mediation and systematic discussion of model limitations, is capable of promoting meaningful conceptual learning in electricity regardless of students' prior technical background.