How do teachers, after their initial training, approach ramp research activities?

This research addresses the importance of effective teacher training in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which emphasizes equitable, quality, and inclusive education. The study acknowledges the existing literature on teacher training, highlighting the need for a more practice-focused approach. It positions itself within the existing body of research analyzing initial teacher training in Spain, particularly focusing on the competency model as a reference for professional development. The study emphasizes the crucial role of teachers in fostering lifelong learning and achieving other SDGs. The researchers utilize a competency model framework to analyze the progress and challenges faced by pre-service teachers, clarifying the expected level of competence at different stages of their development. The introduction highlights the persistent challenges in initial teacher training, including a lack of disciplinary and psycho-pedagogical knowledge, inappropriate beliefs about effective teaching, and decontextualized learning experiences. The study then focuses on specific competencies in Didactics of Experimental Science (DES) as outlined in Spanish educational laws, focusing on the competency of developing and assessing curriculum content (SC6). The central research question explores which specific science education competencies are revealed through the task of designing a ramp experiment, examining aspects such as curricular adequacy, language appropriateness, contextualization, problematization, and scientific knowledge.

The literature review discusses various teaching models, including traditional, behaviorist, technological, reflective, critical, and constructivist approaches, ultimately highlighting the competency model's prevalence as a reference for teacher professional development. However, it notes that the model's meaning, complexity, and implications haven't been fully explored. The authors review existing literature concerning the entry profile of teacher education students, noting persistent concerns about insufficient disciplinary and psycho-pedagogical knowledge. They discuss this deficiency not only in terms of alternative conceptions or lack of attention to teaching attitudes, skills, and procedures, but also in relation to inadequate school experiences, beliefs about effective teaching, and decontextualized learning. The study's specific focus lies on the competence of developing and assessing curriculum content through appropriate teaching resources, analyzing the requirements of this competency within the Spanish educational framework. The researchers also cite previous work on innovative approaches to teaching devices and machines, highlighting the importance of integrating these topics with real-life contexts and implicit competencies.

The study employed a diagnostic and exploratory research design using documentary analysis of pre-service teachers' productions at the end of a Science Education course. The participants comprised 50 third-year students in a Primary Education Degree at the University of Murcia. The study analyzed scripts created by the students, which included the design of a laboratory script for primary school students on the topic of ramps. The scripts needed to meet certain criteria, including curricular placement, contextualization, assembly/construction instructions, identification of elements, research procedures (measurement, tabulation, and conclusions), and a review section. The analysis involved a qualitative approach, supplemented by quantitative indicators such as readability coefficients (Fernandez Huerta and Crawford). These coefficients helped assess the scripts' ease of understanding for primary school students. The analysis covered several aspects of the scripts: curricular placement (identifying the target grade level); contextualization (examining how everyday life was integrated); definition and construction of a ramp (analyzing definitions, drawings, and materials used); research (investigating the procedures for studying the relationship between applied force, weight, and slope); and a review of learning. The readability of the language and the presence of conceptual errors were also assessed.

Regarding curricular placement, most scripts (90%) targeted the third cycle of primary education (5th and 6th grade), with only a few aiming at the first cycle. In terms of contextualization, many (72%) used a story or narrative approach, while some incorporated real-world examples or historical context. Readability analysis showed that while most scripts were easily understood by the target age group based on the Fernandez Huerta coefficient, Crawford's coefficient revealed less satisfactory results, with only 40% being deemed appropriate for all grades. The definition and construction of a ramp showed that most students accurately identified key components. However, errors emerged in drawing representations, with inconsistencies in the identification of elements and forces. Research procedures revealed that most scripts addressed the relationship between applied force and weight and between applied force and slope. However, only a small percentage explicitly included data tabulation. Most scripts included drawings, but only a small percentage covered all possible situations. Many scripts included questions for drawing conclusions, but the number varied significantly depending on the relationship studied. The review section of the scripts often involved incomplete sentences or lacked a thorough summarization. The analysis uncovered various conceptual errors including incorrect descriptions of ramps as machines, confusion between force, work and energy, inappropriate use of scientific terminology, and inclusion of advanced concepts. A statistical analysis (Student's t-test and Pearson's r coefficient) demonstrated no significant differences in readability across different sections of the scripts, indicating consistent ease of understanding in each part.

The findings indicate that while pre-service teachers demonstrated learning in certain professional competencies, significant improvement is needed. The majority of participants chose to design their activities for older primary school students, raising concerns about the focus of training. The incorporation of contextualization is positive, although the approach employed could be refined for greater effectiveness. The instructions for constructing the ramps and the associated illustrations were generally clear, but scientific and didactic shortcomings were noted, particularly concerning the representation of elements and forces. The use of sensory perception instead of dynamometers is a positive aspect, but it requires a qualitative data treatment. The assumption that quantitative relationships between variables are readily achievable at the primary education level is concerning, as it might overburden students with mathematical complexities. The study's participants demonstrated a good understanding of experimental processes, emphasizing data collection, tabulation, conclusion-drawing, and the shift from testing to inquiry. The language used in the scripts was generally appropriate; however, concerns remain regarding the use of simplistic language in certain sections. The most concerning aspect is the pervasive presence of terminological, expressive, and conceptual errors. This deficiency is particularly noteworthy given the students' prior training, in which they practiced identifying errors in primary school students’ work, suggesting a need for improved self-reflection.

The study revealed progress in pre-service teachers’ professional competencies but highlighted the need for continued improvement. The tendency to focus on older primary students, the shortcomings in contextualization, errors in scientific representations, and the presence of conceptual errors point to areas requiring further attention in teacher training programs. Future research could explore the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches and assess the long-term impact of initial training on teachers’ classroom practices.

The study's sample size is relatively small. The study is limited to a single task (designing a ramp experiment), potentially not fully capturing the range of competencies possessed by the pre-service teachers. The findings might not be fully generalizable to other contexts or teacher training programs outside Spain.