Experimental physics courses are typically part of both Physics degree programmes and a wide range of engineering curricula. However, the objectives of these courses are often more closely associated with the verification of theoretical physics than with the practice of experimental physics itself or with an understanding of Physics as an experimental science and, therefore, as a discipline inherently connected to concepts such as measurement uncertainty and the incompleteness of models. In this article, we describe the implementation of a curricular reform in the introductory teaching laboratories of the Institute of Physics Gleb Wataghin at the University of Campinas (Unicamp). Through this reform, the focus of the courses shifted towards the development of skills relevant to experimental physics, rather than the reinforcement of theoretical physics. These skills were organised into three courses, comprising: (1) a minimum core of skills, such as performing and recording simple measurements; (2) basic skills, such as the calibration of instruments; and, finally, (3) the application of the acquired skills in project-based activities, aimed at fostering student autonomy. The experiments were selected to best highlight and develop each skill. This structure is presented in detail, and a proposal for its implementation is discussed, including examples of experiments for the three courses.
Luís E.E. de Araujo, Felippe A.S. Barbosa, Pierre-Louis de Assis, Sandro G. de Oliveira, Christoph Deneke, Guilherme S. Marcom, and Luiz Fernando Zagonel
Rev. Bras. Ensino Fís. 48 • 2026 DOI: 10.1590/1806-9126-RBEF-2025-0548
