Pixel International Conferences

This proposal examines secondary school students' engagement in an inquiry-based laboratory task and the emotions emerged during the learning process. The proposal is part of a larger study aimed at examining the influence of epistemic knowledge, critical thinking and emotions in students' inquiry performances and their progression. The theoretical framework draws from the approach of teaching and learning science through students' engagement in the scientific practices of inquiry, modelling and argumentation (NRC, 2012). An adequate performance of inquiry requires applying epistemic knowledge and critical thinking. Epistemic knowledge is understood as the comprehension of the rationale for the common practices of scientific inquiry and the status of the knowledge claims that are generated (OECD 2016 p. 19). Critical thinking is also a goal in Science Education, and it is related to scientific practices since it involves the evaluation of knowledge claims by examining evidence (Jiménez-Aleixandre and Puig, 2022). The participants were 35 secondary students' attending Physics and Chemistry lessons in a public rural high school at the northwest of Spain and working in small groups of 3-4 students.

The activity analysed in this proposal is set in an authentic context that required students to investigate if adding an aspirin to a vase containing a flower bouquet and water would conserve the flowers longer. To do so, students were required to design an experiment and carrying it out, as well as to draw the pertinent conclusions. Moreover, students' emotions were examined before and after the investigation. For data collection, students' written reports regarding the investigation were collected, as well as the emerged emotions. The analysis is framed in qualitative research, and it draws from content analysis. The main results highlight that, in general, the small groups were able to select the best designs and materials for carrying out the investigation. Regarding emotions, although they showed some fear to carry out the investigation, in general they show happiness and motivation during before and after the investigation.

Keywords: Emotions; Inquiry; Laboratory; Secondary education

References
[1] National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K-12 Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
[2] Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD) (2016). PISA 2015 assessment and analytical framework: science, reading, mathematic and financial literacy. Paris: OECD Publishing.
[3] Jiménez-Aleixandre, M. P., & Puig, B. (2022). Educating critical citizens to face post- truth: the time is now. In B. Puig & M. P. Jiménez-Aleixandre (Eds.). Critical thinking in Biology and Environmental Education. Facing challenges in a post- truth world. Springer.