Resumen: Los factores actitudinales tienen una alta capacidad predictiva de la vocación hacia la Ciencia y Tecnología en los jóvenes, de gran interés por la demanda social de profesionales de áreas STEM. Este trabajo estudia en una muestra de 159 estudiantes españoles de secundaria, sus percepciones hacia tres variables implicadas: aceptación de la indagación como estilo de pensamiento, interés por estudiar carreras científicas y motivación en las clases de ciencias, diferenciándose comportamientos en función del género y nivel educativo. Asimismo, se analiza en estudios de caso, la influencia de estos factores en estudiantes participantes en propuestas innovadoras que les acercaron a la investigación científica, encontrándose un incremento en su tendencia a estudiar carreras científicas y de la motivación en las clases de ciencias. Se proponen conclusiones sobre la contribución de estas experiencias a la educación científica y al objetivo estratégico de promover vocaciones científicas en los estudiantes. Palabras clave: Educación secundaria, Percepciones del alumnado, Factores actitudinales hacia la Ciencia y Tecnología, Indagación e investigación escolar. Predictors of vocation in Science and Technology in young people: Case study on perceptions of secondary school students and the influence of participating in innovative educational experiences Abstract: Attitudinal factors have a high predictive capacity of vocation towards Science and Technology these in young people, of great interest for the social demand of professionals in STEM areas. This paper studies in a sample of 159 Spanish high school students, their perceptions towards three variables involved: acceptance of inquiry as a way of thinking, interest in studying scientific careers and motivation in science classes, differentiating behaviors according to gender and level educational. Likewise, the influence of these factors on students participating in innovative proposals that brought them closer to scientific research is analyzed in case studies, finding an increase in their tendency to study scientific careers and motivation in science classes. Conclusions are proposed about the contribution of these experiences to scientific education and the strategic objective of promoting scientific vocations in students.

<p style="text-align: justify;">This study presents an inquiry-based teaching approach using a rich methodology involving STEM (science-technology-engineering and mathematics) projects, developed using a cooperative way to work between schools and research centres. We describe the teaching pattern scenario with students, teachers, and scientists. We also illustrate the learning process, conducted through two inquiry-based problems in Biochemistry, the mutagenesis process and the transgenesis effects caused by inoculation of bacteria. The teaching sequence, as well as the scientific knowledge and students’ competencies involved, are shown. We then analyse the students' and teachers' perceptions in this scenario regarding the development of students' STEM learning through their inquiry skills promoted and concerning predictors to vocational careers involved (students’ identities as potential scientists, scientific attitudes, social implications towards science or students´ agency). Finally, we add some conclusions and contributions to teaching STEM education, related to factors of the design teaching scenario that bring connections with the interests and motivations of students, such as the relevance of the projects to evoke understanding of processes or causal relationships of content or the teacher's professionalisation supported by a proper allocation between scientists and teachers.</p>

Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias 12(2), [278][279][280][281][282][283][284][285][286][287][288][289][290][291][292][293] 2015 Este trabajo se centra en el aprendizaje de modelos utilizando como recurso didáctico la publicidad sobre alimentos. La investigación se ha llevado a cabo con el objetivo de estudiar el desempeño del alumnado en el análisis de un video publicitario en un contexto real de aula, mediante un estudio de caso en 3º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Se utiliza un anuncio televisivo que incluye un modelo para explicar cómo actúa un conocido producto probiótico en el organismo. Para obtener datos y evidencias se han utilizado el diario del profesor, grabaciones en vídeo de las clases y los cuadernos de trabajo de los estudiantes. En los resultados se destacan los elementos más fácilmente interpretables y las dificultades del alumnado para comprender el modelo del anuncio. Finalmente, como implicación educativa, se formulan algunas ideas que podrían formar parte de un modelo escolar que explique cómo actúan las defensas en el intestino humano, integrando aquellos aspectos positivos identificados en el anuncio con algunos elementos de los propios modelos de los alumnos y las ideas científicas al respecto.Palabras clave: Educación secundaria obligatoria; publicidad; alimentación, modelos. Using the advertising of a foodstuff to learn a model of the defenses in the human intestine. A study with Year 9 studentsThis essay focuses on the learning of patterns using food advertisement as didactic resource. The research has been carried out for the purpose of studying the students' performance in a video advertisement analysis, in a real classroom context through a case study of a group of Year 9 students. A television advertisement, which includes a model to explain how a known probiotic product acts in the organism, has been used. Teacher's notebooks, video recorder lessons and student notebooks have been used to get facts and evidence. Results highlight elements easy to interpret and pupils' difficulties to understand the advertisement model. Finally, like educational implications, some ideas are formulated. These ideas could take part in a school pattern to explain the way our defenses act in the human intestine. Furthermore, they could add those positive aspects identified in the advertisement with some elements from the pupils' model and the scientific ideas related with them.

Alternative teaching methodologies are required for grade-9 students diagnosed with difficulties learning chemistry. This study examines the progress made in learning atomic structure by 11 Spanish Students Diagnosed with Learning Difficulties (SDLD, experimental group), including those with poor academic performance, specific learning difficulties in reading, writing, and mathematics, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and borderline intellectual disability according to the Spanish curriculum. The study was conducted as part of the Program for Improving Learning and Performance (PMAR) and utilized the game “Atomizados”, specifically designed for this purpose. A written test on atomic structure was used to evaluate learning with three learning levels established (naïve, transitional, and informed). The findings indicate that 63.63% of the SDLD (experimental) achieved an informed learning level (understanding the internal structure of the atom) as a result of utilizing a generative learning strategy. The Mann–Whitney U test demonstrated that this learning was statistically significantly greater than that achieved by other students diagnosed with learning difficulties who did not use the game (SDLD control group). No significant differences were found between the SDLD experimental group and two other groups of grade-9 students with no learning difficulties (NSDLD control groups). However, differences were detected between SDLD (control) and NSDLD (control) in favor of the latter groups. The average for these control groups was a transitional level (identifying some elements of the atomic structure) in the best cases. SDLD (experimental) exhibited a very positive perception of the game’s influence on learning chemistry, highlighting its attractiveness, interest, and potential for generating classroom participation.

En esta investigación se estudian las percepciones del alumnado de Educación Secundaria (15-17 años), en función de su género y nivel educativos (educación obligatoria y postobligatoria), hacia tres aspectos relacionados con la función social de la ciencia. Los 158 participantes cumplimentaron un cuestionario validado internacionalmente, que nos ha permitido alcanzar datos diagnósticos respecto a estos factores que indica un mayor reconocimiento sobre la importancia del papel de la Ciencia en la sociedad, frente a los restantes, que decrecen en el siguiente orden: adopción de actitudes científicas e interés respecto a ella en el tiempo de ocio, respectivamente. Finalmente se aportan implicaciones didácticas desde el campo de la Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales, en relación con la proyección de este estudio hacia propuestas de enseñanza futuras, que permitan poner en acción un conocimiento conectado con la identidad del estudiante, en aras al fomento de sus vocaciones científico-técnicas.