“…Failure in science and mathematics courses has been attributed to several factors, such as the abstract nature of these disciplines, the negative perception of students about science and mathematics, the lack of proper academic background to face university studies and the widespread persistence of instructional methods based on lectures delivered to large enrollment classes, where students remain essentially passive (Alberts, 2005;Freeman et al, 2014;Kardash & Wallace, 2001;Wieman, 2006). In the case of Chilean institutions, it is well documented that most high school students lack of science and mathematical preparation as they begin their university studies (Bos, Ganimian, & Vegas, 2014;Contreras, Gallegos, & Meneses, 2009;Valenzuela, Gómez, & Sotomayor, 2012), increasing the risk of academic failure in their first-year courses. In addition, many of the students taking these courses have no real enthusiasm for mathematics, physics, or chemistry per se and perceive them simply as obstacles to be overcome on the way to a career (Pérez V, Valenzuela Castellanos, Díaz M, González-Pienda, & Núñez, 2013).…”