Research Into Specific Ambits of Science and Mathematics Teaching
Code: 43929 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Research in Education | OP | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Lluis Albarracin Gordo
- Email:
- lluis.albarracin@uab.cat
Teachers
- Josep Maria Fortuny Aymemi
- Anna Marba Tallada
- Begoņa Oliveras Prat
- Lluis Albarracin Gordo
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
None
Objectives and Contextualisation
The goal of this module is to show and discuss different research perspective in science and math learning and teaching from early childhood to secondary education, as well as in the field of teacher training.
Learning Outcomes
- CA62 (Competence) Formulate research problems on the development of competence and scientific thinking in innovative contexts while also formulating relevant questions and goals.
- CA63 (Competence) Contrast the data from research and innovations on the development of scientific competence and thinking with the goals of the study and the corpus of available knowledge in order to draw conclusions.
- KA61 (Knowledge) Identify lines of research in the field of the didactics of science and mathematics that address the development of scientific and mathematical competence and thinking in teachers and students.
- KA62 (Knowledge) Identify the learning difficulties associated with scientific and mathematical competence and thinking in order to provide innovative solutions for the training of teachers and students.
- SA47 (Skill) Produce a comprehensive review of the scientific literature in relation to a specific topic regarding learning in science and mathematics education.
- SA48 (Skill) Analyse different kinds of data obtained from research on the development of scientific and mathematical competence and thinking.
- SA49 (Skill) Present research on the didactics of mathematics or didactics of experimental sciences, adapting the tone to the typical type of communication in the disciplines of the didactics of sciences and mathematics.
Content
The contents will focus on the following disciplinary areas: Development of competence and mathematical and scientific thinking Development of the knowledge and professional skills of mathematics and science teachers Thematic axes: Innovation and Learning Representation and Communication Context and Critical Thinking Sessions: Modeling and conceptual ideas progression . The learning cycle as a design structure (2 sessions)
Numerical representation (2 sessions)
Critical thinking (2 sessions)
The development of professional competence (2 sessions)
Evaluation
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Directed | 36 | 1.44 | CA62, CA63, KA61, KA62, SA47, SA48, SA49, CA62 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Supervised | 26 | 1.04 | CA62, CA63, KA61, KA62, SA47, SA48, CA62 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous | 88 | 3.52 | CA62, CA63, KA61, KA62, SA47, SA48, CA62 |
The sessions will be based on the presentation of the main research theoretical framework and on the discussion of the results of research articles, as well as the analysis of data.
Our teaching approach and assessment procedures may be altered if public health authorities impose new restrictions on public gatherings for COVID-19
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coevaluation activity | 20 | 0 | 0 | CA62, CA63, KA61 |
| Individual actitvity based on the content analysis | 40 | 0 | 0 | KA62, SA47, SA48, SA49 |
| Individual activity based on a research article | 40 | 0 | 0 | CA63, KA61, KA62, SA47 |
1. Continuous assessment consists of 3 activities:
Activity 1: Reflection on the critical reading of a research article with the following format.
A research article about the didactics of mathematics or didactics of the sciences will be chosen, and a report will be made based on the answers to the proposed questions. The aim is to do a critical reading of the article, there is no need to answer these questions as if it were a questionnaire.
The delivery date is January 15, 2026 via CV.
1. What is the area of study? How do the authors frame it? What opinion do you think the formulation of the problem deserves?
2. What is the objective of the authors (or what are they)? Is it explicit?
3. Are there implicit assumptions?
4. What are the conclusions? Do these conclusions follow logically from the data, from the arguments? Is there an influence of the initial assumptions on the conclusions?
5. Do you agree with the conclusion presented in this article? Justify your answer
6. If you had to interview the authors, what would you ask them?
7. Have you found something surprising, new and that can change your approach to your own work?
8.Would you write an article of this type?
9.Would you like to read a sequel?
10. Would you add other questions?
Activity 2: Analysis of the progression of a certain mathematical or scientific content. The object of analysis of this work will be specified with the teaching staff of the assigned subject.
This work will be handed in by the CV and will be presented in front of the class group on March, 5th, 2026 (last session of the module).
Activity 3: Feedback on the presentation made on the progression of the content
Based on the presentations made on March 5th, 2026, an evaluation report (identifying a strong point and a point to be improved) will need to be made of one of the works presented, which will be sent to the author.
2. Non continuos assessment
Those who opt for the non continuos assessment option must make an oral presentation on the last day of class (activity 29, delivered the activity 1 as well as prepare and deliver feedback on a colleague's work.
3. Retrivement
Both in the continuous assessment and in the no continuos one, the retrivement of the suspended tasks is contemplated with a maximum mark of 5. To recover the assessment activities, it will be necessary to deliver a report justifying the changes incorporated in the activities based on the contributions provided by the teachers. The delivery period for the Virtual Campus will be one week after the delivery of the assessment.
4. Not Assessable
The non-presentation of one of the 3 assessment activities will be considered non-evaluable.
In accordance with the UAB regulations, plagiarism or copying, or use of AI without mentioning any work will be penalized with a 0 as a grade for this work, losing the possibility of recovering it.
Corrections will be returned within 20 days of delivery.
Bibliography
Ärlebäck, J. B., & Albarracín, L. (2024). Fermi problems as a hub for task design in mathematics and stem education. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications, 43(1), 25-37. https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrad002
Caviedes, S., De Gamboa, G., & Badillo, E. (2024). Mathematical connections involved in area measurement processes. Research in Mathematics Education, 26(2), 237-257.
Couso, D., Álvaro, C. G., Simó, V. L., Marbà, A., & Prat, B. O. (2024). Desarrollar la competencia científica. GRAÓ 12-18: Tu espacio de referencia en Educación Secundaria, (1), 58-64.
Dickson, L.; Brown, M.; Gibson, O. (1984). Children Learning Mathematics: a Teachers' Guide to Recent Research. London: Cassell.
Drijvers, P.; Doorman, M.; Boon, P.; Reed, H.; Gravemeijer, K. (2010). The teacher and the tool: instrumental orchestrations in the technology-rich mathematics classroom. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 75, 213-234.
Fernández, C.; Llinares, S. (2012). Características del desarrollo del razonamiento proporcional en la Educación Primaria y Secundaria. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 30(1), 129-142.
Garrido, A., & Couso, D. (2025). The IPM cycle: An instructional tool for promoting students' engagement in modeling practices and construction of models. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 62(2), 391-425.
Gobert, J. (2000). A typology of causal models for plate tectonics: Inferential power and barriers to understanding. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 9, 937-977.
Grimalt-Álvaro, C., López-Simó, V., & Tena, È. (2025). How Do Secondary-School Teachers Design STEM Teaching–Learning Sequences? A Mixed Methods Study for Identifying Design Profiles. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 23(1), 235-260.
Izquierdo, M. (2005). Hacia una teoría de los contenidos escolares, Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 23 (1), 11-122.
Ogborn, J. (2012). Curriculum Development in Physics: Not Quite so Fast. Scientia in educatione 3(2), p. 3–15. (article basat en la conferència plenària del catedràtic Jon Ogborn el 03 de juliol de 2012, al The World Conference on Physics Education 2012, Istanbul,Turkey.
Radford, L. (2010). Algebraic thinking from a cultural semiotic perspective. Research in Mathematics Education, 12(1), 1-19.
Sauvé, L. (2010). Educación científica y educación ambiental: un cruce fecundo. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 28 (1), 5-18
Links:
- Centre de Recursos per Ensenyar i Aprendre Matemàtiques (CREAMAT). Generalitat de Catalunya. http://phobos.xtec.cat/creamat/joomla/
- Freudental Institute. Utrecht (Nederlands). http://www.fisme.science.uu.nl/fisme/en/
- The Nrich Maths Project. Cambridge (UK). http://nrich.maths.org/frontpage
Godino, J. D., Batanero, C. & Font, V. (2003). Fundamentos de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Departamento de Didáctica de las Matemáticas. Universidad de Granada. (Recuperable en, http://www.ugr.es/local/jgodino/)
Iranzo, N. (2009). Influence of dynamic geometry software on plane geometry problem solving strategies. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Bellaterra, Spain: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. (Recuperable en, http://www.geogebra.org/publications/2009-06-30-Nuria-Iranzo-Dissertation.pdf)
Software
No specific software will be used
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |