Autor: Nuno Miguel Gaspar da Silva Francisco

1. I N QU I RY MODULES: A S I N G L E - S E X
249
SCIENCE METHODOLOGY
Autores:
Nuno Miguel Gaspar da Silva Francisco
I ntro d u c tion
Although boys like science more and are more apt to deepen
their scientific interests, girls tend to be more structured. In
Portugal, the teaching of the sciences has been done essentially
by women, and for this reason has gained in structure rather
than emphasizing the a critical freedom of scientific thought
more typical of boys. This fact normally results in lower marks
for the boys in external tests.
The module presented here, the result of a very broad task
within the European project based on IBSE (inquiry based sci-ence
education), attempts to improve the processes of teaching
and learning. In this module, the primary objective was the
production of material able to have small goals with succes-sive
increases of complexity. It emphasizes interaction within
the group/class, with joint activities, but also with individual
exercises using new technologies. These objectives have been
presented in two different publications: an article accompanied
by a poster of an international conference of the PROFILES
project in Berlin, and in the journal of the Portuguese Chemi-cal
Society (both annexed).

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The questions raised during the work, although challeng-ing,
broaden curiosity in trying to obtain rapid and valid an-swers.
There is also the possibility of repeating the tested
activities through computer simulation, both in the class-room
and in the home, as a form of self-assessment and re-view
of content.
D e v e l op m ent
Public interest in the area of science has exploded in recent
years (as seen by the results obtained in the ROSE (Relevance
of Science Education) study, for example the impact of po-litical
decisions (in the areas of energy and food).
It has been observed in Anglo-Saxon countries that there is
a decline of students and candidates in science courses, with
a movement toward the social sciences and the arts. In the
United Kingdom, the university courses most attended are,
first of all Design, and second Psychology. The United States
solved this problem through attracting good students from
around the world.
We wish to create a society of knowledge, and the European
Union has a program to create a larger flux of young people in
the sciences. Ireland had no physics teachers, and converted
teachers from biology to physics. Another problem is demo-graphic,
and for this reason there have been attempts to attract
the children of immigrants. Another important factor had to
do with the increase of financing for research programs in this
area; particularly in regard to questions of gender. One exam-ple
is the study “Women in Science”, from which one learns
that in a horizontal segregation (analyzing all areas of science)
in 2006 there existed in Portugal 44% of women with partici-pation
in science. From a vertical perspective (analyzing hi-erarchies)
it is seen that there is a disappearance of women in
the most important posts. It is interesting to note the differ-

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
ences in interest in science, with men having a greater interest
than women (figure 1).
Figure 1 – Graph of intentions, by gender, in terms of the possibility of become a
scientist.
Education in the sciences is essential in modern societies in
terms of the problems that they will have to face. However,
the traditional perspectives of the construction of scientific
knowledge and the vision regarding the processes of teach-ing
and of learning, associated with other factors such as the
external assessment of students frequently constitute barriers
to pedagogical innovation [1]. The teaching of the sciences
continues to lend particular relevance to the transmission of
facts, principles, and laws. This kind of learning, frequently
decontextualized, has not contributed greatly to the improve-ment
of levels of science literacy of students, and frequently
leads to students developing negative attitudes in regard to
science. Thus, it is to be expected that indicators show that
primary and secondary school students appear to increasingly

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dislike the sciences [2, 3]. In order to combat this trend, many
teachers seek to implement teaching strategies that foster the
critical thinking and self-reflection of their students. This
may be done when the teacher no longer simply presents the
formal concepts of science and tries to contextualize them in
regard to current issues and positions to be taken on them.
It was with this objective to increase the popularity and rele-vance
of science education that various European researchers
came together in the PARSEL project, of which the Univer-sidade
de Lisboa (Instituto de Educação) [4, 5], was a partici-pant
and which was developed between 2006 and 2009. This
project was an important precursor to the PROFILES pro-ject,
the development of which began in 2010, with the end
date set for 2014. In the next section of the present article we
present more information about this project and its objectives.
T h e PROFIL E S pro j e c t an d t h e in q u ir y
m et h o d
The acronym PROFILES stands for Professional Reflec-tion-
Oriented Focus on Inquiry Learning and Education through
Science (http://www.profiles-project.eu/). It is a European pro-ject,
with the participation of more than 20 countries, among
which Portugal is represented by the School of Sciences of the
Universidade do Porto. The project stemmed from the need
to invest in the continual training of teachers, and is based on
the principles of self-sufficiency and of teacher ownership. Moreo-ver,
as indicated by its acronym, PROFILES is concerned with
fostering approaches that emphasize Inquiry-Based Science Edu-cation
(IBSE).

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
The module to be present below begins with a motivating
question, is followed by brainstorming of ideas/questions that
can appear upon the introduction of the subject, such as prior
concepts. We then move to the interactive part, with digital re-sources
(support/complementary texts within the area of the
subject presented in the simulation).
Figure 2: Illustration of the first phase of the application of the PARSEL
modules
C on c l u sions
It is extremely important to know the context of whom
one wishes to transmit – the age, gender, and the individual’s

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true interest, or the concept that one wishes to transmit. The
latter item may be very correct scientifically, but if one has no
public to listen, if the concept is not presented in a differen-tial
manner, it may not be effectively transmitted and/or not
be meaningful either in the short or the long term. Accord-ing
to some articles on single-sex education, in physics and
chemistry, boys seek more details, and girls are more organized.
The 3 phase
model
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Teaching/
learning
approach
Relevant title
from real life,
plus an interesting
scenario in order
to motivate
students
IBSE constructed
learning, guided by
the teacher
Making of socio-
-scientific decisions,
student-centered and
guided by the teacher.
Educational
skills
developed
Oral
communication;
identification of
prior learning;
intrinsic
motivation.
Planning skills,
processing skills,
presentation
skills, arriving
at conclusions;
interpersonal skills.
Consolidation of
conceptual science;
discussion skills;
social skills; justified
socio-scientific
decision making
Learning of
education in
science
Identify science
in context;
state scientific
questions to be
investigated
Conceptual
learning of science;
relate concepts;
development of
IBSE skills.
Transfer of the
learning of science
concepts to new
social situations.
Interest &
relevance
Initial stimulation
of students
– intrinsic
motivation
(wanting to learn)
Increase of interest
and relevance
through student
activities.
Reinforcement of the
relevance of science
and improvement of
science literacy.
The above facts led me to accept the challenge of partici-pating
in a research project that sought, through an inquiry
or guided research methodology, create an appealing scenario
for boys, adapting a module already tested in Israel. In the
near future I will attempt to develop a model for girls and to
even test a double model with two scenarios in which stu-

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
dents will have the freedom to choose the module they wish,
analyzing qualitatively and quantitatively the choices and the
answers given.
B ib l io g rap h i c referen c es :
Figueiredo, O., Freire, S., Reis, P., & Galvão, C. (2009). Indo
além do PARSEL. In F. Paixão, & F. R. Jorge (Eds.), Ed-ucação
e formação: Ciência, cultura e cidadania. Atas XIII
encontro nacional de educação em ciências (pp. 926-34).
Castelo Branco: Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto
Politécnico de Castelo Branco.
Sarjou, A., Soltani, A., Kalbasi, A, Mahmoudi, S. (2012). A
Study of Iranian Student Attitudes towards Science and
Technology, School Science and Environment, Based on the
ROSE Project. Journal of Studies in Education, 2(1), 90-103.
European Commission (EC). (2007). Science education now: A
renewed pedagogy for the future of Europe. Brussels: European
Commission.
Galvão, Cecília; Reis, Pedro; Freire, Sofia; Almeida, Paulo
(2011). “Enhancing the popularity and the relevance of
science teaching in Portuguese Science classes”, Research in
Science Education 41, (5), 651-666.
Galvão, Cecília; Reis, Pedro; Freire, Sofia; Faria, Cláudia. 2011.
Ensinar Ciências – Aprender Ciências. O contributo do Projecto
Internacional PARSEL para tornar a Ciência relevante para os
alunos. ed. 1. Porto: Porto Editora e Instituto de Educação
da Universidade de Lisboa.
Branch, J., Oberg, D. (2004). Focus on inquiry: a teacher’s guide
to implementing inquiry-based learning. (pp. 1-5) Alberta, Can-ada:
Alberta Learning.
Franklin, W.A. Inquiry Based Approaches to Science Education: The-ory
and Practice (http://www.brynmawr.edu/biology/frank-lin/
InquiryBasedScience.html )

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Rannikmäe, M.; Teppo, M. e Holbrook, J. (2010). Popu-larity
and Relevance of Science Education Literacy: Us-ing
a Context-based Approach. Science Education Internation-al,
21, 2, 116-125.
Holbrook, J. (2008). Introduction to the Special Issue
of Science Education International Devoted to PARSEL.
Science Education International, 19, 3, 257-266.
Thier, H.D. (2000). Developing Inquiry-Based Science Materials: A
Guide for Educators. New York: Teachers College Press, Co-lumbia
University.
Dewey, John (1998). Experience and Education: the 60th anni-versary
edition, Kappa Delta Pi, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
European Commission (Ed.), Europe needs more scientists. Report
by the High Level Group on Increasing Human Resources
for Science and Technology in Europe, Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg,
2004, p.1 -186.
Osborne, J. & Dillon, J. (2008). Science Education in Eu-rope:
Critical Reflections, King’s College London: The Nuf-field
Foundation, London, England
Sjøberg, S. & Schreiner, C. (2010). The ROSE project: An
overview and key findings, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway,
p. 1-30.

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ANNEX
“ D o y o u nee d c h e m istr y to be an
ort h ope d i c s u r g eon ? ”
An “inquiry module” for the study of
oxidation-reduction chemical equilibrium
(Carla Morais, Nuno Francisco and João Paiva)
The “inquiry module” presented here was adapted and op-timized
by us (based on the existing PARSEL module avail-able
at http://www.parsel.uni-kiel.de/cms/index.php?id=54)
in order to attempt to motivate students in the study of oxida-tion-
reduction chemical equilibrium – a part of chemistry in
which normally it is difficult to understand and to connect the
different inherent concepts [1]. The scientific content underly-ing
the model here presented involve the concepts of redox
reactions, electrochemical series, and the activities of metals,
and has as its primary goal to make use of emerging educa-tional
technologies in order to foster pedagogical approaches
through Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE), which is the fo-cus
of the European project PROFILES [2,3].
The motivating scenario, adapted for secondary school
(11th grade) students was the key to the approach to redox
balance. The initial question, which is reflected in the title of
this paper, led us to questions proposed by students (some
in the areas of biology and of medicine). Prior to the inter-action
of the students with the computer simulation of the
theme treated by the module, we made a list of the most per-tinent
questions, which served as references for carrying out
and guiding the activity. The questions that created the most
interest were answered with good results, and complemented
with well-founded justifications.

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Some doubts surrounding the process of using this “in-quiry
model” were: the fact that the Physics and Chemistry
A curriculum is very extensive, not being compatible with
more innovative and mobilizing activities in terms of the
time available [4]; integration of the module within the an-nual
planning schedule; doubts in regard to comparisons be-tween
the virtual outcomes obtained and expected outcomes
from laboratory activities, and the alternative concepts that
students expressed in regard to redox behavior. In their ma-jority,
these obstacles were overcome with the carrying out
of real, and not simulated experiments proposed by the of-ficial
curriculum. Experiment reports turned out to be even
more complete, with responses to the pre and post labora-tory
questions. The latter were in general answered with a
critical spirit Another strategy utilized was the interactive
construction of concept maps, seeking to organize the new
concepts to which students were exposed so that they would
be meaningful. The utilization of “inquiry modules” and the
IBSE approach sought to increase the motivation of both
students and their teacher [5].
Future plans foresee the adaptation of new teaching mate-rial,
combined with a curriculum intervention; the dissemina-tion
of this module to other colleagues in different areas of
science communication (interactive forums, scientific journals,
and continuous training courses; a more systematic analysis of
student motivation, including their reflective processes. The
greatest objective achieved, by the students and the teacher was
an increase in science literacy and creative practice through the
use of innovative learning materials with multi-disciplinary sce-narios
with a socio-scientific slant.
B ib l io g rap h i c referen c es
[1] Burke, K. A.; Greenbowe, T. J. & Windschitl, M. A.
(1998). Developing and using conceptual computer animations for chemis-

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
try instruction. Iowa State University of Science and Technology,
vol. 75, nº 12, December 1998, Journal of chemical education
[2] Branch, J. & Oberg, D. (2004). Focus on inquiry: a teacher’s
guide to implementing inquiry-based learning. Alberta, Canada: Al-berta
Learning (pp. 1-5).
[3] PROFILES (2010). FP7 Negotiation Guidance Notes
– Coordination and Support Actions – Supporting and
coordinating actions on innovative methods in science education:
teacher training on inquiry based teaching methods on a large scale
in Europe – Annex I – “Description of Work”, 2010.
[4] Morais, C.;Paiva, J. & Francisco, N. (2012), “”Módulos
inquiry”: desenvolvimento e utilização de recursos educativos
para a potenciação do inquiry based-learning no ensino da
química”. Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa da Química, X, pp. Y-Z
[5] Edelson, D. C.; Gordin, D. N. & Pea, R. (1999). Ad-dressing
the Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning Through Technology
and Curriculum Design. Institute for the Learning of Sciences
and School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern Uni-versity,
8, (pp. 391-450), The Journal of the Learning Sciences.
S t u d ent A c ti v ities
Initial procedure (Read, Think, Question)
The following article was published in the sports section
of a newspaper:
“On July 26, 2009, during a Corinthians match, Ronaldo, af-ter
a mid-field play, was pushed by an adversary and fell to the
ground, supporting his entire body with his left hand. Due to
the fact that the fall didn’t seem to be a violent one, his injury
wasn’t considered to be serious. However, he suffered a frac-ture
of the third and fourth metatarsal of the left hand, and
had to undergo surgery. Two metal plates and 5 screws were
inserted in order to correct the lesion. Ronaldo didn’t play for
two months.”

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Source: http://colunas.gazetaweb.globo.com/platb/arivaldomaia/tag/corinthi-ans/
page/11/
Question: If you had accompanied the player to the hos-pital,
what questions would you ask the surgeon about secur-ing
the bones?
Computer activity
In order to choose the best metal to be used in the bone sur-gery,
we suggest that you examine the reactivity of various met-als.
In the following experimental computer activity you will
be able to research the reactivity of metals. Click on the link:
http://stwww.weizmann.ac.il/G-CHEM/animationsindex/
Redox/home.html
Carry out activity nº 1
The simulation shows a series of beakers, each containing a
solution of metallic ions, with it also being possible to see a list
of solid metals.

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
1. Choose one of the metals and place it into the different
solutions and wait until a message tells you to remove the
metal from the solutions.
2. Record your observations
3. In which of the beakers did a chemical reaction occur?
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for the different metals (activities 2 and 3).
Summarize all of your observations in the following table.
Solutions → Mg2+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) Cu2+ (aq) Ag+ (aq)
Metals ↓
Mg
Cu
Zn
Ag
5. In order to observe reactions at the molecular level, click on
and follow the instructions.
6. Write the chemical equation for two of the reactions that
occurred.

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7. Organize an electrochemical series of metals, in the order of
increasing reduction power.
C o m p l e m entar y notes for t h e tea c h er
I nto d u c tion
The development and application of the “inquiry modules”
seeks to foster science literacy through meaningful learn-ing
in two main areas: a) cognitive, personal, and social de-velopment,
and b) process and nature of science. Seeking to
contribute to the popularity and relevance of science classes,
in these modules the approach begins, intentionally, with real
day-to-day phenomena viewed from the perspective of sci-ence,
and seeking thereby to come closer to the specific learn-ing
needs of students.
S tr u c t u re
”Inquiry modules”:
1. Present the title and the scenario (based on social questions),
and supported by the student guide.
2. Are student-centered, in the resolution of scientific prob-lems,
linking learning in a context of educational and sci-entific
objectives.
3. Include scientific-social decision making relating the acquisi-tion
of scientific knowledge to social needs, including re-sponsible
citizenship.

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A n o p t i o n i n f o r e f r o n t o f e d u c a t i o n
O b j e c ti v es / S k i l l s / G oa l s :
To link concepts inherent to oxidation-reduction equilibri-um;
construct an electrochemical series; carry out a comput-er-
based experiment; collect data; explain outcomes; create a
discussion group and carry out a discussion, and carry out
an experimental task of the project.
Proposed procedure (available in detail at: www.profiles.org.pt)
(duration: 6 classes)
1. Analysis of a sports article.
2. Brainstorming.
3. Observe computer simulation of the reactivity of vari-ous
metals.
4. Record observations, organizing them in a summary table.
5. Respond to the questions proposed.
6. Carry out hands-on experiment (available on p.48 of the
Physics and Chemistry A program, verifying the usual results
and analyzing them critically in a written report.
T ea c h er ’ s G u i d e
A. For the first lesson, we suggest group work. Each stu-dent
reads a short text and the group discusses it. The

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group should ask as many questions as possible (Brain-storming).
After the group work, there is a discussion the entire
class (with a rigorous scientific foundation, the teacher
guides students, selecting the most pertinent questions).
The discussion objectives are:
• To establish links between chemistry and medicine.
• To engender in the students the “need to know” - what
is the least reactive metal?
B. For the second class, students access the site: http://
stwww.weizmann.ac.il/G-CHEM/animationsindex/Re-dox/
home.html
This site offers a computer-based experiment (a laborato-ry
simulation) to discover the relative reactivity of metals.
Activity 4 may be used to verify the electrochemical se-ries
that was constructed by the students (possibility of
self-assessment).
After the computer-based experiment, students have the
possibility of constructing the electrochemical series.

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C. In the third and fourth lessons, one analyzes the responses
to the questions posed formally, taking into account that
only the more pertinent questions are treated.
As a suggestion, we recommend the organization of fun-damental
concepts through the use of concept maps/net-works
constructed in interaction with the students.
The remaining material can be taught as suggested in the
curricular program.
It is also recommended that there be a classroom debate on
the overall theme, to treat the following questions:, How can you
explain the results? What are the positive conclusions? What
is a chemical reaction on a microscopic scale?
D. For the fifth and sixth lessons, it is recommended that the
laboratory experiment proposed in the curricular pro-gram
(AL 2.4)

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A ssess m ent
Assessment shall include classroom participation, group
work, and formal assessment using a group of questions in an
test, and the written report of the experiment.

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SCHOOLING TRAJECTORIES
THROUGH SINGLE-SEX EDUCAT I O N :
D I S C U S S I O N S REGARDING THE
CHOICE OF FOMENTO SCHOOLS
I N P O RTUGAL
Autor:
João António Monteiro Feijão
1. I ntro d u c tion
The results presented below are the product of masters
thesis research in sociology with specialization in public policy
and social inequality at the College of Social Sciences and Hu-manities
of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa. The research
focused on Planalto School, located in Lisbon. Our principal
objective was to attempt to understand what motivated fam-ilies
to choose this school. In so doing, it was necessary to
involve families, students, teachers, and the school principal
(Feijão, 2013).
When we began the project, we sought to discover what re-search
had already been carried out on this subject. We found
that research in Portugal on this subject, and on single-sex ed-ucation
in general is scant or practically nonexistent. The Mas-ters
thesis of Maria Amélia Freitas (2011) in Education Sciences
– to our knowledge the only study in this area in Portugal – is
presented as research on the social representations of various so-cial
actors – families, students and former students, and teach-ers
who have had direct experience with single-sex education.