Ápice. Revista de Educación Científica (AREC) is the official journal of the Spanish Association of Teachers and Researchers of Experimental Sciences Didactics (ÁPICE; Asociación Española de Profesores e Investigadores de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales). It is a semi-annual, peer-reviewed, open-access electronic publication, and its publishers are the University of A Coruna and this association. Its objective is to disseminate research and innovations in the field of science education, and to promote the exchange of ideas and contributions among researchers, teachers interested in improving their educational practice, and teacher trainers. This academic-research and informative character is reflected in its areas of interest: research and innovation in scientific education, and the news and review of news in its fields of study.
Universidade da Coruña: Servizo de Publicacións
All articles published by the journal are subject to a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) use and distribution licence. Copyright is retained by the authors. The right of first publication is granted to ÁPICE. Revista de Educación Científica, who will be entitled to reproduce the work in any language or medium, and disseminate and distribute it in whole or in part through repositories and by any technological means available. Authors are permitted and encouraged to disseminate the post-print (RoMEO blue or publisher’s) version of their work in order to increase its impact, dissemination and citation among the research community. Articles may be disseminated electronically or self-archived on personal and institutional websites, repositories, platforms and other information dissemination media in accordance with the following conditions: Only the post-print or publisher’s version of the article may be disseminated or archived. The repository, platform or medium where the article is archived should disseminate or provide the full, correct bibliographic citation for the work. The bibliographic citation will include a working DOI, which will provide access to the full text of the article. Access to the article should be provided using a DOI rather than a link to the text file itself. This procedure is in the interests of both the authors and the journal, though exceptions are permitted (albeit not recommended) when necessary. All articles are subject to the Creative Commons licence under which they are published and ÁPICE. Revista de Educación Científica must be acknowledged as the source of publication. Citations should include a working DOI (i.e. that resolves to its target), formatted in accordance with International DOI Foundation guidelines.
From the editorial team of Ápice. Journal of Scientific Education (AREC), we are pleased to inform all users of the journal that, starting with the current issue - 9(2), which covers July to December - we are moving to a "continuous publication" format (replacing the current complete issue format) so that articles are available and can be cited as soon as possible. To do this, it was necessary to modify the pagination system compared to previous issues. Articles will be assigned to the open issue and will be published as they receive final acceptance. On the other hand, we want to thank the effort and experience that all the evaluators contributed to the reviews. Next, the names and affiliations of all the reviewers who have collaborated in 2025 with Ápice. Revista de Educación Científica (AREC) are included.
Copyright (c) 2025 Juan Carlos Rivadulla López http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Educational materials: healthy eating for a healthy environment
This article analyzes a teaching sequence for secondary school students aimed at fostering sustainable attitudes to food consumption, and the educational materials derived from it. The sequence focuses on meat consumption owing to the significant environmental impact associated with the intensive production systems used. The study addresses concerns over the sustained increase in global demand for food and the tendency to approach the subject of food in the classroom from the perspective of health only. The teaching sequence, which focuses on developing critical consumers and their commitment to sustainability, comprises 20 activities based on exploration of the topic, introduction of new knowledge, synthesis, and assessment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isabel Lara Espinosa http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Modeling and metacognition in Early Childhood Education: design and application of a lesson plan on hydration
This article presents the results of a study exploring the application of modelling and metacognition strategies as part of a lesson plan on hydration aimed at children aged 5 years from a public early childhood education school in the region of Murcia (Spain). The research was carried out in six phases, including exploration of initial models, application and review. Modelling strategies were used to represent physiological phenomena, while metacognition encouraged reflection on the learning process. The results show that children advanced from initial explanations based on everyday experiences, to clearer, more organised ideas about their bodily intake, distribution and loss of water. The combined modelling and metacognition approach proved effective in promoting scientific understanding at a young age, while also highlighting the importance of adapting these strategies to the cognitive level of the children involved.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos, Florencia , Elena http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Core inquiry-based teaching practices: analysis rubric and systemic network
Analysis of core teaching practices is an emerging line of teacher education research that complements traditional approaches focused on the cognitive aspects of pedagogical content knowledge. Core teaching practices research focuses on the (often unconscious) teaching practices that lead to a particular educational approach. This article examines the core teaching practices involved in model-based, inquiry-based (MBI) teaching. The study uses a systemic network of core teaching practices for student expression and discussion of ideas and the development of data gathering, both of which are essential to generate the descriptive knowledge linked to inquiry. To help define the core teaching practices for these two phases of inquiry, the study also presents an achievement-based rubric as a tool for teacher training in the future.
Copyright (c) 2025 Luis Delgado-Mayoral, Jara García-Ruiz, Manuela González-Herrera, Lorenzo Hernández Villalobos, M.Rut Jiménez-Liso, Rafael López-Gay Lucio-Villegas, Lorena Manzano Sánchez, María Martínez-Chico, Iñigo Rodríguez-Arteche http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The Voice of Students on the 2030 School Agenda: Challenges and Opportunities. A Case Study
Education for Sustainable Development is essential to create citizens with the necessary tools and skills to address the current climate emergency. The 2030 Agenda for Schools (A2030E) programme is one of the tools available to educators for this purpose. The aim of this article is to examine the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Schools programme from a student perspective, and identify both the opportunities it offers and the challenges it faces. The study was conducted at an A2030E high school and involved a total of 15 students from the school’s sustainability committee (10 girls and 5 boys). Of these, 8 took part in a focus group, while the remaining 7 answered an open-ended questionnaire. The results confirm the significant educational potential of A2030E, as it promotes the acquisition of pro-environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. However, the number of teachers and students involved in the initiative remains limited.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlota López Fernández, Esther Paños Mart´ínez, José-Reyes Ruiz-Gallardo http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Dialogue in the classroom to construct scientific ideas: analysis of teacher discourse
Research in science education is mostly focused on designing teaching and learning sequences, and, more recently, on analysis of the teacher discourses that guide these sequences. Understanding teacher discourse is crucial in classrooms where ideas are constructed, as it guides student dialogue and the development of their understanding. This article presents an analysis of teacher discourse in a dialogical science teaching context. The data for the study were collected over the course of approximately ten hours, divided over four science workshops with senior cycle high school students. The contents of the classes were recorded and transcribed, and the discourse of the five teachers involved analysed. The discursive actions used by the teachers to assess students’ ideas were identified and grouped into three categories: elicit expression of ideas; retrieve and acknowledge previous ideas; and provide clarification and new points of view. The results of the study offer insight into how teachers’ discourse is articulated in a teaching context to construct scientific ideas among students.
Copyright (c) 2025 Camilo Vergara Sandoval, Víctor López Simó, Digna Couso Lagarón http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Rocks and minerals in Early Childhood Education: an experimental lesson plan conducted with children from a mining town
The aim of this study is to address the lack of teaching and learning motivation in relation to geology by proposing an experimental lesson plan for the study of the most basic characteristics of rocks and minerals. The study was conducted with a class of 3-year-old children at a school in the mining town of Santa Marta de los Barros (Extremadura, Spain). The proposal used a holistic approach aimed at developing the children’s scientific skills. The participants were found to have some pre-existing ideas about the materials studied, which they associated with their daily lives. The results show that the activities proposed had a positive impact on the children’s preconceptions about the subject and their motivation towards their physical environment. Implementation of the lesson plan also revealed certain difficulties in relation to teaching and learning about geology.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isabel Gallardo González, Emilio Costillo Borrego, Elena Bravo Lucas, José María Marcos-Merino http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Teaching antibiotic resistance using the One Health approach
This article examines the implementation of a One Health science teaching approach in secondary schools to address the socio-scientific issue (SSI) of antibiotic resistance (AR). The study involved a group of first-year senior cycle students at a public high school in a town on the west coast of Galicia (Spain) with no previous experience of the One Health approach. A qualitative methodology was used to analyse the students’ discourses and strategies in the different One Health activities conducted. Students were found to be able to identify appropriate actions for the prevention of AR across different One Health spheres and to develop models in relation to the specific context of tuberculosis infection.
Copyright (c) 2025 Irene González Costa, Blanca Puig http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Validation of a questionnaire to determine the influence of personal and contextual factors on the teaching identity of pre-service science and technology teachers
Contextual factors are often overlooked in research on teacher identity owing to the lack of appropriate analysis instruments. The aim of this study is to provide a reliable questionnaire to determine the influence of personal and contextual factors on the construction of teacher identity among future secondary school science and technology teachers. The questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts in science education based on quantitative and qualitative data, and relevance and reliability testing. The final questionnaire consists of 20 items grouped into four categories related to interests, attitudes, teaching-learning processes, and perception of science and technology. Implementation of the questionnaire will help to target teacher training to improve the professional self-perception and effectiveness of future teachers.
pre-service science and technology teachers
Copyright (c) 2025 Cristina García-Ruiz, Jorge Luque-Jiménez, Alicia Fernández-Oliveras, Carolina Martín-Gámez, Ángel Blanco-López http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Controversy mapping and role-play on socially acute questions for the development of critical thinking
This article examines the use of controversy mapping and role-play as didactic strategies for the development of critical thinking among Spanish secondary school students based on the socially acute question (SAQ) of the prevailing model of meat production and consumption. The combination of controversy mapping and role-play is presented as a multifaceted approach to learning, designed to enable students to explore different perspectives and deepen their understanding of the issue addressed. Students were asked to explain their position on meat consumption and the creation of megafarms before and after the experience, with the majority expressing reservations about meat consumption and opposition to megafarm facilities. The results showed that this approach encourages holistic thinking and decision-making on SAQ among students.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isabel María Cruz-Lorite, Aurelio Cabello-Garrido, Daniel Cebrián-Robles, Enrique España-Ramos, Paloma España-Naveira, Alba Ramos-Solano http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
How to improve understanding of geological time among secondary school students – and why we should
Geological time is a strange concept for most people. The vast time scale of the planet’s history, the limited reproducibility of many geological processes and the slowness with which they occur make it difficult to understand and use the concept properly. Nevertheless, it is fundamental to our understanding of both the past and the future of the Earth at a time of environmental crisis. This article examines the main aspects of geological time and proposes a model for how to use it to describe external geological processes. The article also presents the results of a content analysis-based quasi-experimental study, showing how the model improves both understanding and articulation of the concept of geological time.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jorge Roldán Muñoz http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Scientific Culture and Innovation Units (UCC+i) in Spain: characteristics, impact, and production
The complexity and decontextualization of science and technology push citizens away from scientific culture, and reduce the latter’s role in social decisions. To tackle this situation, Scientific Culture and Innovation Units (UCC+i) were created by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) in 2007. Over the past 15 years, these units have expanded in number, production, and budget. This study uses a non-experimental design to analyze their evolution, characteristics, and activities during that time. The results show the units’ consolidation in both large and small research centers, with teams composed mainly of communication professionals and scientists. Their production is diverse and reaches a broad audience, especially young people and children, with dissemination primarily through digital media.
Scientific Culture and Innovation Units (UCC+i)
Copyright (c) 2025 Alba Lozano, Carolina Blanco Fontao, Fernando J. Pereira, María I. Muñoz, Roberto López, Patricia Castellanos http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Impact of Teaching the Immunity and Vaccine Model on Secondary School Students’ Knowledge of the Nature of Models
This study examines the impact of an educational activity based on the immunity and vaccines model on secondary school students’ knowledge of the nature of models. The sample for the study comprised 181 students and the Spanish Knowledge of the Nature of Models questionnaire (CoNaMo) was used as the assessment instrument. The results reveal significant improvements in the overall CoNaMo score and in the two specific dimensions addressed by the activities conducted. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the nature of models explicitly and reflectively in science classrooms.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marta Gómiz-Aragón, María del Mar Aragón-Méndez, José María Oliva http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Pedagogical Science Content Knowledge as an analysis instrument in teacher training
The concept of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has been widely used as a framework for research on teacher professional development. This article examines the PCK model as a transformative combination of Disciplinary Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge and Context Knowledge, identifying and reflecting on the intersections between them and the concepts of School Science, Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Context Knowledge. The study then assesses the application of PCK as an analysis instrument for early childhood, primary and secondary education teacher training programmes, and demonstrates the effectiveness of the model in this regard.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sandra Pilar Tierno, Valentín Gavidia, Paula Tuzón, Jordi Solbes http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Student interest in and familiarity with science from secondary to postgraduate level
Science process skills are one of the key indicators of scientific literacy. Nevertheless, few studies have examined how the factors affecting science literacy change over the course of the educational process. The aim of this paper is to analyse how students’ familiarity with and interest in science processes evolve over the course of their education. The sample for the study consisted of 200 students from different educational stages and institutions in the region of Valencia. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire and a discussion group comprising a representative group of students to provide insight into the quantitative data. The results show that familiarity with and interest in science processes improve over time, indicating the need for improved early-stage science teaching in relation to comprehension and contextualisation.
Copyright (c) 2024 Esther Gamero Sandemetrio, Enric Ortega Torres http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Effectiveness of Scratch-based tools for teaching the anatomy of the digestive system at primary school level
Scratch is an educational tool designed to provide children with a more engaging and memorable learning experience. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a Scratch-based educational tool for teaching the anatomy of the digestive system to children at primary level. A questionnaire was administered to three groups of fourth-class students (two control groups and one treatment group) from a primary school in Chalco (State of Mexico). The results between the groups were compared using the simple difference method to determine whether the use of the tool had had a significant impact on students’ ability to connect theory with practice. The findings indicate that the Scratch-based tool complements traditional teaching, enhances students’ understanding of concepts, and promotes active, participatory learning.
Copyright (c) 2024 Felipe de Jesús Matías Torres, Mariano León Najera, Magally Martínez Reyes http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Effect of participation in STEM projects on attitudes towards science among students from a Learning and Performance Improvement Programme
Despite the acknowledged importance of scientific knowledge and the increasing presence of technology in all aspects of our lives, student interest in science has declined significantly. Traditional methodologies no longer capture their attention, motivate them or demonstrate the usefulness of science in solving problems of an increasingly interdisciplinary nature. The aim of this pilot study is to analyse attitudes towards science among third-year secondary school students, based on a sample of four students from a Learning and Performance Improvement Programme. The students were surveyed before and after their participation in three STEM projects. They reported increased interest in science and a new sense of enjoyment and appreciation of science, though their scientific vocation remained unchanged. While not all of the goals of STEM education were achieved, therefore, the results show that participation in projects of this kind can lead to improved scientific literacy and attitudes towards science.
Learning and Performance Improvement Programme
Copyright (c) 2024 Pablo Menéndez-Cuervo, José Miguel Vílchez-González http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Breakout EDU on matter: using active methodologies in science teacher training
In contrast to the memorisation-based methods of the past, society today requires more active, student-centred education. Changing the way we teach in the classroom is only possible if we change the way we teach teachers. This paper analyses the impact of a Breakout EDU on the subject of matter as an active educational resource in the initial training of physics and chemistry teachers. The trainee teachers surveyed reported positive perceptions of the Breakout EDU as a strategy to promote motivation and consolidate learning, though expressed reluctance to use it as a tool for teaching new scientific content. Nevertheless, most were in favour of using the tool as part of their teaching in the future, and four actually used it during their teaching placement.
Copyright (c) 2024 Francisco José Serrano, Marina Martinez Carmona http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Implementation of Service-Learning as a tool for promoting Education for Sustainability
The aim of this study is to examine and assess the level of knowledge among teachers in the region of Extremadura regarding different innovative methodologies, including Service-Learning (SL), and their awareness of and engagement with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A questionnaire was designed to gather information about the participating teachers, their knowledge of different active methodologies (including SL), and their perception of their educational practice and their students’ attitude towards it. Finally, the research examined teachers’ knowledge of and engagement with the UN’s SDGs and Education for Sustainability. The results reveal the need for more teacher-based research in Extremadura in order to equip educators with the tools necessary to implement active, innovative methodologies such as SL.
Copyright (c) 2024 Alberto Martín Sánchez, David González Gómez, Jin Su Jeong http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Concept maps: an educational tool to address climate change and the global socio-environmental crisis
Science education has highlighted the need to tackle the current climate emergency from a holistic perspective. However, little of the research in this area focuses on creating the tools necessary to visualise the interrelations between the factors responsible and provide a more connected understanding of the crisis. The aim of this study is to address this void using concept maps. Participants in courses and workshops for teachers in training, in-service teachers and members of civic groups were asked to create concept maps. The creation and group discussion of these maps was found to help participants to understand the relationship between social and environmental issues and the need to consider them together, thus enable them to synthesise, clarify and reinforce their acquired learning more effectively.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jaime Carrascosa Alís, Daniel Gil Pérez, Amparo Vilches Peña http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Early childhood education teacher interest in the UManresa Lab 0_6 free-choice science space
Free-choice science spaces for early childhood education have been shown to play a key role in the development of enquiry skills among young children. However, little research has been conducted into interest in such spaces among early childhood education teachers. The aim of this study is to examine interest in and satisfaction with inclusive, free-choice science spaces among early childhood education teachers based on participation and satisfaction data from Lab 0_6 activities at UManresa. The results show a significant increase in participants and interest in the Lab 0_6 pedagogical space at UManresa since its creation in January 2016, thus confirming the value of science spaces in early childhood and the need for more research about their contribution to children’s learning.
Copyright (c) 2024 Loli Vázquez Carrasco, Irene Tort, Gabriel Lemkow-Tovias, Montserrat Pedreira, Judit Sabido-Codina http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Peer review is an essential element of academic publication and one of the most important pillars of the scientific process. Therefore, from the Ápice. Revista de Educación Científica (AREC) we want to thank the effort and experience that all the evaluators contributed to the reviews. Next, the names and affiliations of all the reviewers who have collaborated in 2023 with Ápice. Revista de Educación Científica (AREC) are included.
Copyright (c) 2024 Juan Carlos Rivadulla López http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Indagación científica escolar y educación STEAM
Reseña del libro: Lupión-Cobos, T. y García-Ruiz, C. (Coords.). (2024). Indagación científica escolar y educación STEAM. Formación del profesorado y enseñanza para la transferencia a las aulas. Graó.
Copyright (c) 2024 José Ignacio Crespo Gómez http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Book review "Why We Teach Science (and Why We Should)"
Copyright (c) 2024 Luis Moreno Martínez http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Preliminary study on the design and validation of an instrument to identify knowledge about the nature of STEM
STEM education has become the basis of enhancing scientific competencies in many countries. However, history, philosophy and sociology are also essential elements of scientific literacy. In recent times, this question of interdisciplinary integration has given rise to debates around the ‘nature’ of STEM (NOSTEM). As of yet, however, there are no tools to assess student knowledge about NOSTEM. The main aim of this article is to design and validate an instrument to identify knowledge about NOSTEM among high school and university students as a contribution towards more integrated science education, more democratised technoscientific knowledge, and more alignment between the needs and interests of the scientific community and those of society as a whole.
Copyright (c) 2024 Víctor Martínez-Martínez http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Game-based activities for learning the pathophysiology of eating disorders
Game-based learning has been proposed as a methodology that improves learning by increasing motivation and generating positive emotions. However, few studies have examined the application of this type of methodology in vocational education and training. This study uses a mixed methodology to assess the interest, motivation and learning generated by an innovative game-based sequence implemented among a group of Higher Diploma in Dietetics students. The findings confirm the educational value of the methodology in this specific learning environment and support its replication with other groups and in other contexts.
Copyright (c) 2024 Noelia Carrillo Grande, María Antonia López-Luengo http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Does it make sense that when two fruits touch each other, a “mixture” plant of both is generated? Sensemaking for the analysis of Plant Reproduction Models
The presence of alternative conceptions and learning difficulties associated with plant reproduction highlights the need to review the teaching-learning processes and the teacher training we offer to promote their appropriate teaching. One of the sequences we designed to train primary school teachers through a Model-Based Inquiry approach focuses on sexual reproduction in plants. In this paper we analyse part of the implementation of this sequence, focusing, on the one hand, on the initial models identified in the answers of 92 students to a contextualised question, and on the other hand, on the effect of a collective activity oriented to the evaluation of models through the use of analogies to identify inconsistencies through sensemaking, in order to discard meaningless alternatives.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jose Manuel Sánchez-Robles, Leonardo Fabio Martínez Pérez, María Martínez-Chico http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Perceptions of first-year senior cycle high school students about bioethical health dilemmas and their influence on argumentation and critical thinking skills
The aim of this article is to assess the usefulness and difficulties of a learning sequence from the point of view of the students involved in terms of the development of argumentation skills, critical thinking and bioethical knowledge. Interviews were conducted with six first-year senior cycle high school students following an argumentation and critical thinking learning sequence based on a discussion of bioethical health issues. The interviews showed that students consider scientific knowledge a useful way to improve scientific argumentation and critical thinking, and that the sequence gave them the opportunity to construct their own arguments based on content related to their reality. However, the students also reported difficulties in identifying relevant data from different information sources and selecting appropriate evidence to support their decisions.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sergio Calavia Lombardo, Beatriz Bravo Torija, Beatriz Mazas Gil http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Twentieth-century physics in university entrance exams: a comparative analysis between regions in Spain
This article presents a comparative analysis of the testing of physics in university entrance exams in Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura and Murcia between 2010 and 2022. The analysis focuses on the subject ‘Twentieth-century physics’, and compares the structure, contents and assessment criteria of the test as prescribed in educational legislation. A survey of 183 tests revealed 243 questions relating to the subject. The results show that not all subject contents and assessment criteria are represented in the tests, and that differences exist between regions in various aspects of the test. The analysis concludes by highlighting the educational implications of these differences in relation to the system of access to university studies in Spain.
Copyright (c) 2024 Francisco González García, Sergio García Sánchez http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Book review "Aprendizaje universitario. Resultados de investigaciones para mejorarlo"
Copyright (c) 2023 Ana María Abril Gallego