The maker movement has been increasingly adopted as a means for promoting interdisciplinary approaches to STEM learning. However, empirical evidence regarding how making supports the development of engineering design skills remains limited and inconclusive. This study provides an in-depth examination of a nonformal educational initiative grounded in tinkering, a creative and improvisational subset of making, by analyzing the tasks undertaken by primary school children in a tinkering setting. Our results confirm the capacity of tinkering activities to foster specific engineering design practices and elucidate the interrelationships between them. Furthermore, the findings highlight the potential of such approaches to facilitate the progression of students’ expertise throughout the design process. This work contributes to a more nuanced understanding of tinkering, offering insights for the design of effective pedagogical strategies to promote engineering design learning in informal settings.

Esta investigación explora las prácticas discursivas de los profesores de ciencias en contextos de modelización científica, con énfasis en la toma de decisiones discursivas en el aula y sus efectos en las oportunidades de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Para analizar estos procesos discursivos, se caracterizan los turnos de habla del profesorado al implementar una tarea con potencial modelizador, mediante un análisis del discurso que incluye el desglose del diálogo de acuerdo con su intención modelizadora instruccional (familiarización, discusión y consenso), así como la clasificación de los tipos de interacciones discursivas orientados a la modelización (validación, información, clarificación, cuestionamiento y consolidación) de tres profesores de química que implementan la misma tarea con potencial modelizador. Los resultados muestran el repertorio de movimientos lingüísticos del profesorado en el aula potencialmente modelizadora y sugieren la importancia del discurso docente en la modificación (mantenimiento, mejora o reducción) del potencial modelizador de las tareas que implementan en el aula.

This research explores science teachers' discursive practices in science modelling contexts, with an emphasis on discursive decision-making in the classroom and its effects on students' learning opportunities. To analyse these discursive processes, teachers' turns of speech when implementing tasks with modelling potential are characterised by means of a discourse analysis that includes the breakdown of dialogue according to their instructional modelling intention (familiarisation, discussion and consensus), as well as the classification of the types of modelling-oriented discursive interactions (validation, information, clarification, questioning and consolidation) of three chemistry teachers implementing the same task with low modelling potential. The results show the repertoire of linguistic movements used by teachers in the classroom that could serve as modelling-based and suggest the importance of teacher discourse in modifying (maintaining, improving or reducing) the modelling potential of the tasks they implement in the classroom.

ABSTRACT Understanding how students identify with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is crucial for fostering broader and more equitable participation within these fields. While existing research has focused on students who either strongly identify with STEM or disengage from it, this study explores the moderate STEM identities of students who occupy a “gray zone” between these extremes. These students, aged 12–16, exhibit moderate STEM identities configured through varying degrees of interest, competence, self‐efficacy, and aspirations across STEM and non‐STEM domains, and further modulated by patterns of perceived recognition. Using data from a sample of 1004 students across 64 schools in Catalonia, Spain, we conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis to explore patterns in self‐identification and related constructs. The analyses revealed three clusters of students with moderate STEM identities. Cluster 3, predominantly male, displayed strong interest and recognition in mathematics and physical education but leaned toward non‐STEM aspirations. Clusters 4 and 5, mainly female, showed high academic performance in STEM subjects but reported lower self‐efficacy, recognition, and STEM‐related aspirations. In particular, Cluster 4 displayed a strong alignment with the arts, while Cluster 5 preferred languages and social sciences. These patterns suggest that while these students have the potential to pursue STEM pathways, their broader interests and perceived lack of recognition in STEM hinder their identity development. The study highlights the critical role of recognition in shaping STEM identities, particularly for girls, whose achievements in STEM are often overshadowed by their strengths in other domains. Additionally, mathematics plays a pivotal role in boys' moderate STEM identities, albeit often viewed instrumentally rather than as a career pathway. We discuss implications for educational practice, including the potential of STEAM approaches that integrate arts and creativity, along with more tailored forms of recognition in STEM teaching.

The importance of models and modeling in science education is well-recognized, yet there exists significant polysemy among these terms within the literature. This ambiguity often leads to confusion, particularly regarding whether modeling represents an expected student performance, an instructional strategy to promote such performance, or both. Moreover, the construction of models has been depicted as both the objective of modeling and a distinct phase within modeling-based instruction. Additionally, the expression of models has often been overlooked despite its significance as a crucial modeling practice. In an endeavor to shed light into these complexities associated with modeling in science education, this paper pursues a twofold aim. First, it theoretically presents and justifies the Instruction Performance Modeling (IPM) cycle, drawing on numerous previous contributions to the field, as a practical and specific instructional tool designed to clarify some problematic concepts both regarding modeling instruction and modeling practice. Second, it provides empirical evidence regarding the type of modeling performance exhibited by students involved in instruction guided by the IPM. This study applies discourse analysis to the multimodal productions of preservice teachers attending a lab-based workshop on the topic of flotation. The main findings reveal that students' modeling performance, while exhibiting certain patterns such as the Introductory pattern or the Evaluation-Revision one, predominantly manifests as a disorganized sequence of modeling practices. This result is consistent with certain precedents in the modeling literature but contrasts with the expected outcomes of well-established approaches like Generation-Evaluation-Modification. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the rich, meaningful, and productive modeling practices occurring in instructional scenarios guided by the IPM cycle.

Classroom dialogue is fundamental in a classroom guided by socio-constructivist views of learning due to the learning experiences teachers can provide their students through them. This descriptive and exploratory case study aims to analyse the discourse that enables teachers to facilitate students' expression of models through the study of a phenomenon in a science class. The case study presents the experiences of four secondary school chemistry teachers who implement the same teaching and learning sequence about chemical combinations. The classes were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a qualitative research framework. The results show that teachers facilitate learning opportunities through intermittent spaces of productive classroom conversation. The analysis of these dialogical spaces lets us identify a highly distinctive dialogic process that permeates instructional modelling opportunities, which focus on four dimensions of the management of the modelling conversation: teachers' conversational directionality, the presence of non-productive classroom conversation, moments that trigger the teacher's discursive decisions and the construction of the model through instructional modelling cycles.

En aquest editorial repassem la trajectòria del Jordi Domènech com a autor de la nostra revista, destacant el seu gran impacte tant en número de cites com en número de descàrregues. Seguidament, presentem l'estructura del monogràfic i la diversitat d’autories que inclou, amb la voluntat de reflectir com de ric i variat el seu llegat.

Currently, there is a wide diversity of project-based learning instructional designs presented as “STEAM projects”. However, it is essential to evaluate if all these STEAM projects align their learning objectives and activities with the intended STEAM competences. This paper aims to characterize the impact of the STEAM educational approach through the analysis of contemporary STEAM projects implemented in five Spanish secondary schools from a curricular perspective based on STEM practices. A dataset comprising 46 secondary school STEAM projects implemented in Spain was evaluated using STEM project-based learningrubric, considering 21 evaluation criteria. The findings reveal an imbalance in the sophistication of STEAM projects concerning Science and Technology disciplinary-linked criteria and meta-disciplinary-linked criteria within this framework. These results enable the mapping and highlighting of the fact that not all STEAM projects equally serve their intended educational purposes or integrate all their features with the same level of sophistication. Curriculum organizations from different secondary school levels are also pointing out notable differences regarding how they address STEM competence. Acknowledging these differences and challenges in further initiatives of STEAM PBL instructional designs could support their design. By identifying areas of improvement, educators can optimize the impact of these projects on fostering STEAM competences among students.

The importance of models and modeling in science education is well-recognized, yet there exists significant polysemy among these terms within the literature. This ambiguity often leads to confusion, particularly regarding whether modeling represents an expected student performance, an instructional strategy to promote such performance, or both. Moreover, the construction of models has been depicted as both the objective of modeling and a distinct phase within modeling-based instruction. Additionally, the expression of models has often been overlooked despite its significance as a crucial modeling practice. In an endeavor to shed light into these complexities associated with modeling in science education, this paper pursues a twofold aim. First, it theoretically presents and justifies the Instruction Performance Modeling (IPM) cycle, drawing on numerous previous contributions to the field, as a practical and specific instructional tool designed to clarify some problematic concepts both regarding modeling instruction and modeling practice. Second, it provides empirical evidence regarding the type of modeling performance exhibited by students involved in instruction guided by the IPM. This study applies discourse analysis to the multimodal productions of preservice teachers attending a lab-based workshop on the topic of flotation. The main findings reveal that students' modeling performance, while exhibiting certain patterns such as the Introductory pattern or the Evaluation-Revision one, predominantly manifests as a disorganized sequence of modeling practices. This result is consistent with certain precedents in the modeling literature but contrasts with the expected outcomes of well-established approaches like Generation-Evaluation-Modification. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the rich, meaningful, and productive modeling practices occurring in instructional scenarios guided by the IPM cycle.

Citizen science initiatives, where non-professional citizens contribute to the development of science, have been increasing in recent years, extending their application into school classrooms. This collaboration presents a huge range of challenges, as the objectives of professional science often do not align with educational objectives. This article explores the quality of initiatives carried out in the school contexts. To address this issue, a tool has been developed to characterize and assess the key dimensions of these initiatives. It has been applied to a set of 46 initiatives selected from a systematic literature review. The analysis allows us to point out some reflections on the quality and aspects that should be taken into account for their design in school classrooms.

Citizen science has proven to be a useful paradigm both to contribute to science and to increase the public understanding of science. Thus the connection between citizen science and schools offers an interesting approach to explore. However, a lot of questions and challenges remain unclear, such as the balance between scientific and educational goals. In this research, we explore how citizen science initiatives have been implemented in formal education contexts through a systematic literature review. The final aim is to identify relevant characteristics, define profiles of initiatives and offer future implications. Through the PRISMA Protocol, we have selected 46 published citizen science initiatives to analyse. Our findings show four different profiles of citizen science initiatives in schools: Students using science, Students helping science, Students learning science collecting data and Students learning science by acting as scientists. From the discussion of these profiles, we suggest some considerations for researchers and designers.

Quines són les idees clau de la física que cal que l’alumnat aprengui durant la seva educació secundària obligatòria? Per què és important aprendre aquestes idees? Què fa que costi tant que l’alumnat les construeixi amb sentit? Quines estratègies i quins recursos docents poden ajudar en aquesta tasca? Aquest manual vol compartir visions, recursos i experiències per a un ensenyament de la física orientat a la comprensió conceptual (posant èmfasi a entendre les idees i no només a memoritzar equacions i procediments) d’arrel constructivista (partint sempre del que l’alumne ja sap i realment pensa), amb voluntat fenomenològica (enfrontant constantment l’alumnat amb fenòmens quotidians o propers) i de naturalesa dialògica (entenent que aprendre ciències vol dir parlar i compartir significats en comunitat). Una obra d’utilitat tant per a docents en formació com per a docents en actiu i altres professionals de l’educació i la divulgació científica.

En aquest article es reflexiona sobre les potencialitats i reptes de participar en iniciatives de ciència ciutadana dins de les escoles i instituts amb l’objectiu d’aprendre ciències. Es presenta una introducció sobre què entenem per ciència ciutadana, algunes reflexions basades en la recerca sobre els seus objectius, les contribucions de l’alumnat als objectius científics d’aquestes iniciatives, les contribucions de la iniciativa als objectius educatius i els tipus de recursos que s’ofereixen per a la seva implementació. Finalment, en base a la discussió realitzada es proposen 10 idees per integrar la ciència ciutadana dins les aules de ciències.

Las iniciativas de ciencia ciudadana, donde la población no profesional contribuye al desarrollo de la ciencia, ha ido en aumento en los últimos años, entrando también en las aulas de escuelas e institutos. Esta colaboración no está exenta de retos, puesto que a menudo los objetivos de la ciencia profesional no están alineados con los objetivos educativos. En este artículo se investiga cuál es la calidad de las iniciativas que se han llevado a cabo en contexto escolar. Para ello se ha elaborado una herramienta que pretende caracterizar y valorar las dimensiones clave identificadas. Esta se ha aplicado a un conjunto de 46 iniciativas seleccionadas a partir de una revisión sistemática de la literatura. El análisis nos permite apuntar algunas reflexiones sobre cuál es la calidad y qué aspectos se deberían tener en cuenta para su diseño en las aulas escolares.

The recent introduction of STEM education in Spanish schools has been quite heterogeneous. Being a decentralized educational system, schools in different Spanish regions have followed different strategies to introduce this new perspective. In this chapter, we share three different cases of STEM programs focusing on its teacher education: the IndagaSTEAM Escuela project in Andalucia, the STEAMCat in Catalonia and the MaSDiV project at both national and international levels. Through the narration of these case studies, we characterize different ways of understanding STEM education and show how each STEM approach has been used to inform school practices and teachers’ professional development efforts. Contested aspects in STEM education such as which level of integration is desirable, what the role of disciplinary content knowledge is in STEM, or how much focus to accord to the development of key competencies, among others, emerged in these different accounts. The impact of the programs on students’ competences and teachers’ beliefs and practices as well as its effect on teachers’ self-efficacy to implement the previously discussed STEM education model are also discussed.

En esta investigación nos hemos centrado en analizar el nivel de sofisticación y tipo de modelo de energía que construyen futuros docentes de física (FD) chilenos a través de una secuencia de enseñanza y aprendizaje centrada en la modelización. Para ello, analizamos las producciones escritas de los FD en un momento inicial y final de la formación para identificar qué ideas sobre la energía experimentaban una mayor sofisticación en términos del modelo de energía objeto de enseñanza. Los resultados evidencian que los FD construyen un modelo de energía equilibrado en las ideas de naturaleza de la energía, transferencia y degradación, con un alto nivel de dominio. Sin embargo, se detectan dificultades en la comprensión de la idea de conservación de la energía. Estos resultados permiten reflexionar en torno a cómo superar estas dificultades en la formación docente y en la enseñanza de la energía en la escuela.

center dot In this research we have focused on analyzing the level of sophistication and the type of model of energy that pre-service secondary school physics teachers build through a teaching and learning sequence focused on modeling. In order to do this, we analyzed the written productions of pre-service secondary school physics teachers at an initial and final moment of their training in order to identify which ideas related to energy experienced greater sophistication in terms of the targeted model of energy. The results exhibit that most of the pre-service teachers build a balanced model of energy regarding the ideas of nature of energy, energy transfer and energy degradation, with a good command of these ideas. Nonetheless, difficulties are detected in the understanding of the idea of conservation of energy. These results allow us to reflect on how to overcome these difficulties in both teacher education and school energy teaching.

This dataset (related to Deliverable D2.1) contains data on the review of good practices in open schooling, consisting mainly in: A bibliographic database containing the precise list of all bibliographic items on open-schooling issues as of 2011 – 2021 as well as data documenting the article selection process, Instructions for data collection, Collected data relating to both EU and national projects related to Open Schooling.