In this paper, a self-created analogy is presented based on comparing the process of osmosis with a situation recreated in a train carriage. It was implemented with upper-secondary education students at a secondary school in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz, Spain). To assess the progression of the students' models on osmosis, their activities…

This research integrates context-based learning and modelling. It presents a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) about the dissolution of gases in liquids using carbonated drinks as the context. The impact of the TLS is analysed in a longitudinal short-term study involving two groups of learners aged 13-14 years old (n=53). The results led us to…

Teacher knowledge is vital to provide meaningful learning opportunities. In this case study, a secondary education teacher's knowledge about how to teach the concept of ecosystems from a river is explored. A category system drawn from the literature about science teacher knowledge was used for the analysis. Science teaching requires teachers to…

This article deals with the study of natural sciences in non-compulsory secondary education from the end of the nineteenth century until the educational reform in 1970. We begin with a critical review of the ways in which the secondary education curriculum and textbooks of this period conveyed established knowledge about natural sciences. We then…

This paper presents the case for how students can be helped to increase their scientific vocation by experimental work and the introduction of particle physics into pre-university studies. These two ideas are the two main lines of work of the ADMIRA initiative, which has been created by individuals belonging to different and complementary…

In this research, we have explored the possible differences in students' performance in grade nine chemistry exams that could have been influenced by a different instructional approach in grade eight. We compared two groups of students: one group had received a transmissive propaedeutic approach in grade eight (especially related to the memorising…

Scientific literacy can be promoted through oral and written argumentative practice. Collaborative discourse has proven effective in fostering conceptual understanding, especially when discussions are developed under deliberative goals. Likewise, writing tasks as argumentative syntheses stand out for its epistemic value and its contribution to…

We designed and evaluated a student laboratory workshop on plant-based vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The workshop focused on hands-on laboratory techniques, including DNA extraction from rice seeds, where the recombinant protein was produced, detection of the transgene, and basic concepts on how vaccines work in the human body to offer…

Important factors in learning science include motivational variables (relevance of science learning for personal goals, self-efficacy for learning science, and interest in a scientific career), emotional variables (boredom and enjoyment in science classes), and engagement variables (vigor, dedication, and absorption towards science studies). Data…

Every three years, the Organisation for European Cooperation and Development evaluates the scientific competence of European students. Recent results have demonstrated that scientific competence in Spain is somewhat underdeveloped, which underscores the need to apply educational methodologies that favour the development of said competence. This…

Creative educational methodologies capable of engaging students in interactive, enjoyable learning help to lessen students' anxieties and motivate them. In this context and with the objective of making easier the learning of the chemical symbols and periodic table as well as introducing the concept of chemical formula, we have designed the…

Practical work as observation and experimentation are vital parts of science education. One way to accomplish this is by applying inquiry-based learning in laboratory activities. Inquiry enhances the development of scientific skills as well as the learning of the scientific concepts. In the present article, a laboratory activity was developed to…

A curricular Delphi study was carried out to help improve and develop scientific training for secondary school students in Spain. Using the Delphi method, the authors analyzed the degree of consensus among more than 100 stakeholders' answers to the question, "What aspects of science education are considered desirable for a (Spanish)…

Considering students' increasing lack of interest and motivation for science subjects, it becomes almost imperative to introduce different methodology approaches in classrooms. Besides, decontextualized science teaching, where hands on activities are not sufficiently taken into account, can make the students attitude toward science-learning even…

Inquiry projects can play an important role in science education, despite involving significant challenges for teachers and students. Based on historical references, small groups of students and their teachers carried out inquiry projects on the ability of certain insects to 'revive' after remaining immersed in water for some time. The striking…