Teaching physics and sustainable development: an action research project on the transformation of photovoltaic energy into electricity at a secondary school in Namibe (Angola)

Abstract Alternative energies and sustainable development are articulated, for example, in the 2030 Agenda. This articulation should also be made in the educational field, particularly in Physics classes. However, this articulation is still absent, specifically in the official programs for this subject in Angola. This article presents and discusses a study conducted at School Complex No. 101 M—“Álvaro Manuel Boa Vida Neto“ in Namibe (Angola) with 44 students from the 10th Grade (II cycle of Secondary Education in the Physical-Biological Sciences Course). Methodologically, an action, descriptive and interpretative investigation approach was used, as the school teacher, who also took on the role of researcher, is the primary author of this article. Mixed data (qualitative and quantitative) was collected through documentary analysis, researcher field notes and a questionnaire provided to the students at the beginning and end of implementing an innovative, designed-based teaching sequence. The data was treated by content analysis and descriptive statistics. The action research, which, due to time constraints, only includes one cycle, consisted of the planning, implementation and validation of a teaching sequence focused on the inclusion of photovoltaic energy, already being used in the school region where the study was developed. Notice that photovoltaic energy can be used as an alternative method for producing electrical energy as a guarantee in the sustainability of communities. The implementation of the proposed teaching sequence enabled interactions between the purpose of knowledge, the skills and the reality of the students, thereby contributing to individual and collective thinking in search of new ways to approach everyday problems, in addition to improving the quality of teaching. It is suggested that further research should be done on this topic, namely through studies that analyze actions that promote the professional development of Physics teachers from a sustainable development perspective. This study should focus on emphasizing the proposal developed, introducing new action research cycles that enable a focus on the understanding of the educational reality and the construction of knowledge.