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O texto coloca a questão das condições de possibilidade da intersubjetividade na teoria do reconhecimento. Uma análise da teoria do reconhecimento formulada por Axel Honneth mostra como o conflito determinado por motivações morais relativiza o postulado Habermasiano do entendimento lingüístico e traz de volta a dimensão normativa à teoria social. O autor faz faz um retorno às páginas da Enciclopédia de Hegel para recuperar a dimensão objetiva da intersubjetividade e destacar problemas teóricos no projeto de Honneth. Com isso passa a confrontar tanto o paradigma lingüístico-hermenêutico como o de reconhecimento com o fato de pressuporem a intersubjetividade a ser ainda constituída, para concluir que a teoria do reconhecimento não consegue explicitar um núcleo normativo do reconhecimento intersubjetivo; ela descreve contextos de interação e não imperativos morais. A da regra de ouro, em especial na formulação negativa (chr(38)quot;não faças a ninguém aquilo que não gostarias que fosse feito a ti -Tb 4,15) é vista como melhor codificação da exigência de reconhecimento sem prescindir da experiência da ofensa e da luta, como melhor justificação positiva das normas de reciprocidade

This study examined the relationships between first-year university students' academic motivation, retrospective evaluation of school experiences, subjective well-being, engagement and intention to drop out. Self-determination theory, the SInAPSi model of academic engagement, the hedonic approach, and the retrospective judgment process were used to frame the study. A final sample of 565 first-year Italian students enrolled in Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) courses (Biology, Biotechnologies, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics) was included. Three mediation models based on structural equations were tested to analyse the relationships between the proposed variables: motivation as an antecedent of dropout intention with only commitment as a mediator (model 1); model 1 + subjective well-being as a second mediator (model 2); model 2 + retrospective judgement as an antecedent (model 3). The results showed that in all models the more autonomous motivational styles predicted students' engagement, which in turn directly and indirectly influenced their intention to drop out. In model 2, subjective well-being acted as a mediator of the relationships between motivation, engagement and dropout intentions. In model 3, we found that subjective well-being also fully mediated the relationships between retrospective judgement and engagement. Overall, our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying student engagement and dropout at university and may inform university policy.

In this longitudinal study, we investigate how demographic, cognitive and meta-cognitive variables affect students' success in chemistry and physics exams in two Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics undergraduate courses, biology and engineering. Independent variables include high school final examination performance, chemistry and physics marks, self-efficacy and accuracy of self-evaluation, namely the difference between the estimation of one's own performance in a specific task measured with a confidence rating scale and the actual performance score. We involved 81 biology and 125 engineering freshmen students in the study. Biology students were attending a General Chemistry course, while Engineering students were attending a General Physics course. Accuracy of self-evaluation scores were calculated through Rasch analysis of responses to an instrument that included chemistry and physics items, and a confidence tier. We found that for both courses, the likelihood of passing the exams of chemistry and physics was significantly predicted solely by their accuracy of self-evaluation accuracy score. We found the overconfident students had lower likelihood of passing the exam. Our results suggest that the perception of one's own ability is a relevant factor for predicting students' success at undergraduate level and can be a better predictor of academic success than high school performance and self-efficacy.

In this study, we propose to analyse students' drawings using the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT), a socio-cultural psychological model that integrates semiotics with dynamic systems theory. According to the SCPT framework, students-generated drawings can be analysed in terms of generalised meanings, i.e., implicit assumptions about the represented content. We applied SCPT to identify a set of generalised meanings about seasonal changes and to investigate whether they depend on students' grade level. We used a draw-and-explain task to collect drawings and written explanations about seasonal changes produced by 495 Italian 8th grade (N = 196) and 9th grade (N = 299) students. The analysis was based on Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. Five generalised meanings about seasonal changes were identified: (1) Climate; (2) Static Earth -- Sun; (3) Moving Earth -- Sun; (4) Rays -- Earth; and (5) Moving Earth--Orbit-- Sun. The emerging generalised meanings were significantly associated with students' written explanations and grade level. Moreover, generalised meanings were informed by the cultural conventions adopted in textbook representations about seasonal changes. Findings suggest that the SCPT framework can be productively used to analyse students-generated drawings about natural phenomena and to detect specific features of textbook representations that can impair the development of appropriate scientific knowledge.

We investigated how the endorsement of gender stereotypes affects disciplinary identity across three different science-technology-engineering-mathematics (STEM) areas: physics, biology, and chemistry, and whether such relationship is mediated by self-concept constructs, such as self-efficacy and perceived academic control. Building on the ambivalent sexism theory and masculine ideology paradigm, we focused on gender stereotypes based on hostile and benevolent sexism and on male role norms. A sample of 1406 Italian high school students (girls = 742) was involved in the study. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results show that the adherence to male role norms and the rejection of hostile sexism have a significant effect on the development of a disciplinary identity in the three targeted STEM domains. However, such an effect is fully mediated by self-efficacy and perceived academic control. Moreover, the identity in the three addressed STEM domains is differently affected by the endorsement of stereotypes, with physics and biology being more largely affected than chemistry. More importantly, the endorsement of hostile sexism stereotypes significantly decreases the perceived self-efficacy, while higher levels of perceived academic control are predicted by higher levels of endorsement of male role norms, for both girls and boys. Our findings suggest that to reduce the perception of femininity as incongruent with STEM identification, it would be necessary to deconstruct the masculine view of self-efficacy and academic control.

The purpose of this study was to analyse Italian high school and university students' attitudes towards physics using the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT). In the SCPT framework, attitudes represent how individuals interpret their experience through the mediation of "generalized meaning" with which they are identified. A view-of-physics questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect data with 1603 high school and university students. Data were analysed through multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. We identified four "generalized meanings" of physics: (a) interesting and important for society; (b) a quite interesting, but badly taught subject at school and not completely useful for society; (c) difficult to study and irrelevant for society; and (d) a fascinating and protective niche from society. The identified generalized meanings are significantly correlated to the choice to study physics at undergraduate level and to the choice of attending physics-related activities in high school. Implications for research are discussed.

Despite the growing interest on the notion of academic engagement (AE) and its relevance for students' success, a few valid and reliable instruments on AE have been developed. Moreover, most of the available measures consider AE as a student's trait rather than a relational and situated dynamic process. This study presents the development and validation of a new instrument, the SInAPSi Academic Engagement Scale (SAES), which was developed within a project coordinated by the SInAPSi center of the Authors' University and it aims to measure AE. The main sample was constituted by 680 students and a convenience sample of 312 biology and biotechnologies students was also involved to perform the confirmatory factor analysis of the initial factor structure of the SAES. Construct validity was assessed using the University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI), while criterion-related validity was established with the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), the students' confidence in one's own preparation for academic studies and their academic performance. Results show that the SAES presents a robust factor structure, a good convergent and discriminant validity, and satisfactory psychometric properties. Furthermore, the SAES shows a positive correlation with the USEI and the AMS, the students' confidence in their preparation for academic studies and their academic performance. The results indicate that the SAES can produce valid and reliable data on AE and it may have strong implications for assessing AE and implementing intervention programs for university students., Author(s): Maria Francesca Freda [sup.1] , De Luca Picione Raffaele [sup.2] , Giovanna Esposito [sup.1] , Giancarlo Ragozini [sup.3] , Italo Testa [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.4691.a, 0000 0001 0790 [...]

In this study, we present a new instrument, the Participation and Engagement Scale (PES), for the evaluation of the students' involvement in STEM-oriented activities. The instrument was administered to about 1000 secondary school students who participated in the activities of the Italian "Piano Nazionale Lauree Scientifiche" in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The activities were carried out in a remote modality due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Through an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, it was possible to validate a two-factor structure of the instrument: satisfaction towards the activities and value of the activities. The proposed factor structure shows a good model fit, with each of the obtained scales displaying excellent reliability. Construct-related validation evidence was obtained through the Rasch analysis, which allowed further psychometric improvement of the instrument. Convergent validation evidence was established through a correlation with the academic motivation and perceived difficulties scales. Using the proposed instrument, we found no statistically significant relationships between engagement, the different types of science activities attended, and the intention to enroll in a STEM course. Implications of the study for the evaluation of public understanding of science activities in both remote and in-presence modalities are also discussed.

We surveyed a convenience sample of 362 Italian university physics students, asking them to retrospectively assess their experience of emergency remote instruction due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We looked at their psychological well being, motivation for physics, academic orientation, attitude towards physics and physicists, and tried to link these factors to their overall perception of the online instruction. Our results show a general appreciation for the organization and effectiveness of online courses. However, online teaching negatively impacted on engagement and interaction between peers and with the instructors. Only 22% of students in our sample complained of the psychological distress due to remote instruction. Nonetheless, we found a significant decrease in motivational dimensions, such as interest and recognition. Emergency remote instruction also challenged the students' self-regulation, self-efficacy, and engagement. Finally, the uncertainty about the future resulted in a more pessimistic attitude towards physics, academic performance, and job perspectives.

We describe how young students situate themselves with respect to astronomy through an identity framework that features four dimensions: interest, utility value, confidence, and conceptual knowledge. Overall, about 900 Italian students, from 5th to 9th grade (9-14 years old), were involved in the study. We tested our model using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Differences between girls and boys and across school levels were also investigated. Results show that interest has both a direct and an indirect effect on astronomy identity. The indirect effect of interest on identity is mediated by utility value. Moreover, confidence mediates the effect of interest on conceptual knowledge. Concerning differences between girls and boys, we found that the effect of interest on identity is greater for girls than for boys and that the utility value mediates the effect of interest on identity for boys but not for girls. Finally, our findings show also that the students' interest in astronomy and confidence in their performance decrease with age, with a potential negative impact on conceptual knowledge and future career choice in astronomy. The astronomy identity framework can be employed to examine the role of affective variables on performance and persistence in astronomy and to improve the design of teaching-learning activities that can potentially stimulate a lasting interest in astronomy.

Students' ability to assess their own knowledge is an important skill in science education. However, students often overestimate their actual performances. In such cases, overconfidence bias arises. Previous studies in physics education have shown that overconfidence bias concerns mainly content areas, such as Newtonian mechanics, where misconceptions are strongly held by students. However, how the received instruction and the levels of understanding of a given topic influence overconfidence bias is yet to be proved. In this paper, we address this issue choosing as content area introductory quantum mechanics (QM). Overall, 408 high school students were involved in the study and randomly assigned to two experimental groups. One group received a textbook-based instruction about introductory QM, whereas the other one received instruction on the same topics through an innovative guided inquiry teaching-learning sequence (TLS), which included also potential pedagogical countermeasures for overconfidence bias. Students of both experimental groups completed a multiple-choice questionnaire and indicated for each item the degree of their confidence in the given answer using a 5-point Likert scale. The overconfidence bias was quantitatively defined and evaluated at person level using a 1D Rasch model. Progress in knowledge about the targeted topics was modeled according to a construct map validated in a previous paper. Results show that, for the whole sample, the overconfidence bias decreased as students progressed along the levels of the construct map. However, findings indicate that students of the TLS group achieved a significantly higher accuracy and a better confidence calibration, while the textbook group exhibited a lower performance and a significantly greater overconfidence bias. Implications for research into overconfidence bias in physics education are briefly discussed.

We present the development and validation of a construct map addressing introductory quantum mechanics topics at the high school level, as a subset of a larger learning progression on quantum mechanics. Topics include energy quantization, photon absorption and emission, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, atom stability, orbitals, wave function, and electronic properties of materials. To validate the hypothesized construct map, we designed a multiple-choice questionnaire and a 14-h teaching-learning sequence (TLS) designed in strict relation with the levels of the construct map. Twenty-three classes of Italian students (ages 17-18, N = 408) were involved in the study: about half (N = 200) were exposed to the TLS, while N = 208 students received a typical textbook instruction on the same topics targeted by the construct map. Data were analyzed using a 1D Rasch model. Results show that the proposed construct map consistently describes the increasing abilities of students when exposed to instruction. In particular, when exposed to the TLS activities, students more likely move towards the upper levels of the construct map. Findings have implications for instruction designed to support students' learning in quantum mechanics at the high school level.

This empirical study investigates the main features of curricula and contexts that favor or hinder the process of transfer of a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) from the designers' original situation to a host one. The specific research questions addressed were (RQ1) what were the changes made during the process of transfer in the new context? (RQ2) What were the similarities or differences between the national curricula and contexts that influenced the process of transfer? To answer our research questions, we chose two TLSs, one about optical properties of materials, the other about thermal conductivity, originally designed by two groups of researchers and experienced teachers in Italy and Greece, respectively. The transfer process was analyzed using the "adaptation and reinvention" model, originally developed for the management knowledge research field, while the construct of "institutional distance" was used to describe the influence of country-specific aspects on the transfer process. Data collected included background documents that describe the principles underlying the TLSs design, the decisions and changes made to the original TLSs by the hosting group, and reports on the TLS implementation in classroom practice in the original and in the host context. Content analysis was used to analyze data. Results show that the similarities between the two national curricula and interactions between the involved groups acted mainly as facilitators of the transfer process.

Astronomy is seen as a "gateway" science, inspiring students to pursue Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) related careers. However, there is little evidence that students' attitudes towards astronomy remain stable over time. By integrating Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), we identified three dimensions of students' attitudes towards astronomy - intrinsic, which refers to the enjoyment of studying astronomy, extrinsic, which refers to the will to pursue a career in astronomy, and utilitarian, which refers to the relevance of astronomy to society. We used these dimensions as indicators for a Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify attitudinal profiles of 2650 Italian students in grades 9-13. We identified seven profiles, ranging from completely negative to completely positive attitudes. In particular, students enter secondary school mostly interested in astronomy and with a positive view of astronomy. By the end of secondary school, students have significantly lower attitudes towards astronomy in all three dimensions identified. From a theoretical perspective, our study shows that the SDT/TPB framework can be used to develop future instruments aimed at measuring students' attitudes towards science. From a practical point of view, our results call for better support for teachers to maintain students' attitudes towards astronomy throughout secondary school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the design, statistical analysis, and validation of a questionnaire to assess students' knowledge about basic aspects of quantum mechanics (QM). The QM evaluation (QME) is a true-false and multiple-choice mixed questionnaire that features 10 two-tier items spanning three relevant themes in quantum mechanics: wave behavior of matter, measurement, and atoms and electrons behavior. Its validity was assessed through a pilot administration to students and interviews with course instructors. We checked its internal consistency using both classic test theory and Rasch analysis to account for the different difficulty of each tier and for different scoring methods of the items. The questionnaire was administered to about 450 undergraduate physics students and high school physics teachers. Data show that it is a reliable instrument and all items have a good discriminatory power. Since the test does not require an advanced mathematical knowledge, it ideally lends itself to probe students' knowledge about quantum mechanics in a variety of university courses, from the introductory ones to those more formal and mathematically oriented.

In this paper, we present the design, development, and pilot implementation of a Teaching–Learning Sequence (TLS) about the physics of deterministic chaos. The main aim of the activities is to let students become aware of two key ideas about deterministic chaos: (1) the role of initial conditions and (2) the graphical representation in a momentum–position graph. To do so, the TLS is based on the observation and analysis of the trajectory of the free end of a double pendulum through the modeling software Tracker. In particular, the Tracker-based activities help students understand that, by modifying the well-known simple pendulum dynamic system into a double pendulum, long-time-scale predictability is lost, and a completely new behavior appears. The TLS was pilot tested in a remote teaching setting with about 70 Italian high school students (16–17 years old). The pretest analysis shows that before participating in the activities, students held typical misconceptions about chaotic behavior. Analysis of the written responses collected during and after implementation shows that the proposed activities allowed students to grasp the two key ideas about nondeterministic chaos. A possible integration of the TLS with an online simulation is finally discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] In this paper we discuss the design and development of a learning progression (LP) to describe and interpret students' understanding about stellar structure and evolution (SSE). The LP is built upon three content dimensions: "hydrostatic equilibrium"; "composition and aggregation state"; "functioning and evolution." The data to build up the levels of the hypothetical LP (LP1) came from a 45-minute, seven-question interview, with 33 high school students previously taught about the topic. The questions were adapted from an existing multiple-choice instrument. Data were analyzed using Minstrell's "facets" approach. To assess the validity of LP1, we designed a twelve-hour teaching module featuring paper-and-pencil tasks and practical activities to estimate the stellar structure and evolution parameters. Twenty high school students were interviewed before and after the activities using the same interview protocol. Results informed a revision of LP1 (LP2) and, in parallel, of the module. The revised module included supplementary activities corresponding to changes made to LP1. We then assessed LP2 with 30 high school students through the same interview, submitted before and after the teaching intervention. A final version of the LP (LP3) was then developed drawing on students' emerging reasoning strategies. This paper contributes to research in science education by providing an example of the iterative development of the instruction required to support the student thinking that LPs' levels describe. Concerning astronomy education research, our findings can inform suitable instructional activities more responsive to students' reasoning strategies about stellar structure and evolution.

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] Several decades of research have contributed to our understanding of students' reasoning about astronomical phenomena. Some authors have pointed out the difficulty in reading and interpreting images used in school textbooks as factors that may justify the persistence of misconceptions. However, only a few studies have investigated to what extent usual textbook images influence students' understanding of such phenomena. This study examines this issue, exploring 13-14 year old students' explanations, drawings, and conceptions about three familiar phenomena: change of seasons, Moon phases, and solar or lunar eclipses. The research questions that guided the study were (RQ1) how are students' explanations and visual representations about familiar astronomical phenomena affected by different image-support conditions? (RQ2) How are students' conceptions about familiar astronomical phenomena affected by different image-support conditions? (RQ3) Which features of the used images most affected the students' visual representations and explanations of familiar astronomical phenomena? To answer our research questions, we designed three instructional contexts under increasing support conditions: textbook images and text, teaching booklets with specially designed images and text, only text. To analyze students' drawings, we used exploratory factor analysis to deconstruct drawings into their most salient elements. To analyze students' explanations, we adopted a constant comparison method identifying different levels of increasing knowledge. To investigate students' conceptions, we used a mixed multiple-choice and true false baseline questionnaire. For RQ1, results show that the specially designed images condition was effective in helping students producing informed drawings in comparison to text-only condition for all phenomena, and more effective than textbook images condition when one considers seasonal change drawings. Concerning RQ2, the specially designed images condition was the most effective for all phenomena. Concerning RQ3, prevalent elements of astronomy images that affected students' explanations and visual representations were Earth's elliptical orbit; the position of the Sun with respect to the Moon orbit; and Sun, Moon, and Earth alignment. Our findings confirm concerns about textbook astronomy images, whose features may interfere with the identification of the relevant factors underlying the phenomena. Moreover, findings of this study suggest that affordances of the specially designed images may play an essential role in scaffolding meaningful understanding of the targeted phenomena. Implications for teaching through and learning from visual representations in astronomy education are briefly discussed.

Despite its relevance to all scientific domains, the debate surrounding the teaching of energy is still open. The main point remains the problems students have in understanding some aspects of the energy concept and in applying their knowledge to the comprehension of natural phenomena. In this paper, we present a research-based interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of energy in which the first and second laws of thermodynamics were used to interpret physical, chemical and biological processes. The contents of the three disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology) were reconstructed focusing on six basic aspects of energy (forms, transfer, transformation, conservation, degradation, and entropy) and using common teaching methodologies. The module was assessed with 39 secondary school students (aged 15-16) using a 30-question research instrument and a treatment/control group methodology. Analysis of students' learning outcomes suggests a better understanding of the energy concept, supporting the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach in the teaching of energy in physics and science in general. Implications for the teaching of energy are briefly discussed.

In this paper, we present a teaching module about stellar structure, functioning and evolution. Drawing from literature in astronomy education, we designed the activities around three key ideas: spectral analysis, mechanical and thermal equilibrium, energy and nuclear reactions. The module is divided into four phases, in which the key ideas for describing stars' functioning and physical mechanisms are gradually introduced. The activities (20 hours) build on previously learned laws in mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism and help students combine them meaningfully in order to get a complete picture of processes that happens in stars. The module was piloted with two intact classes of secondary school students (N = 59 students, 17-18 years old), using a ten-question multiple-choice questionnaire as research instrument. Results support the effectiveness of the proposed activities. Implications for the teaching of advanced physics topics using stars as fruitful context are briefly discussed.

The science education literature shows that students have difficulty understanding what causes the seasons. Incorrect explanations are often due to a lack of knowledge about the physical mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. To address this, we present a module in which the students engage in quantitative measurements with a photovoltaic panel to explain changes to the sunray flow on Earth's surface over the year. The activities also provide examples of energy transfers between the incoming radiation and the environment to introduce basic features of Earth's climate. The module was evaluated with 45 secondary school students (aged 17-18) and a pre-/post-test research design. Analysis of students' learning outcomes supports the effectiveness of the proposed activities.