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This study aimed at testing an extension of a theoretical model for the metacognitive monitoring mechanism implied in the detection of inconsistencies when the information provided includes abstract symbols in addition to plain text. Ninety-four postgraduates of STEM specialities were asked to read a worked-out algebra-problem example and to report any incoherence, inconsistency, or error detected in the statement or in the solving procedure. A set of model inspired indexes was defined to describe participants¿ behaviour along the task. The Read & Answer software was used to record online individual processing data and participants¿ reports. Results supported model predictions. Indexes correctly predicted participants¿ outcomes in the task with high accuracy. Specific students¿ behaviours could be associated to observed task outcomes with sufficient reliability within the limitations of the study. In addition, algebra processing was compared with plain text processing.

In physics and chemistry, the development of problem-solving skills is necessary to become an expert. A simple cognitive model to analyse such development is proposed and tested. An exploratory research was conducted with expert professors and students in initial and advanced years. A think aloud procedure was used to obtain relevant data while the participants tried to solve undefined, open problems. Solving these problems required a particular skill representative of expertise: modelling reality using science. More than 1350 solving actions were collected and related to the mental representations elaborated, developed and inter-related by solvers. The proposed model was able to account for expert-novice differences in terms of the respective distributions of solving actions among the mental representations. Large differences appeared in the mental representation of Conceptual scientific Model. In addition, advanced and initial students showed similar and significant averages of unproductive actions, while experts took very few. Experts showed high convergence in their distributions of actions among the mental representations. If the outcomes were replicated with higher external validity, the model could help researchers to analyse the cognitive mechanisms in problem-solving, and teachers to better focus their efforts on specific students' lacks.

En este trabajo se realiza una breve introduccion historica y epistemologica del nacimiento de la termodinamica como ciencia moderna. Se muestra, asi mismo, como esta historia puede contribuir a mejorar la ensenanza de la termodinamica y a superar algunas dificultades de los estudiantes.Palabras Clave: historia de la ciencia; ensenanza y aprendizaje de la termodinamicaThe history of the first law of thermodynamics and its didactict implicationsIn this work is carried out a brief historical and epistemological introduction of the thermodynamics’ birth as a modern science. It is shown, likewise, how this history can contribute to improve the teaching of thermodynamics and to overcome some students’ difficulties.Keywords: history of science; thermodynamics’ teaching & learning.

Resumen basado en el de la publicaión Resumen en inglés Se parte de informes anteriores sobre actitudes relacionadas con la ciencia y los principales logros y contribuciones a esta área a lo largo de las últimas décadas. El núcleo de las reflexiones que se revisan aquí: para definir más con más precisión los objetos de actitud en la ciencia, para obtener instrumentos de evaluación más válidos y confiables, los factores y variables correlacionadas con las actitudes, las contribuciones del movimiento Ciencia-Tecnología-Sociedad, y, como marco teórico, la atención a los modelos de actitudes sugeridos por la Psicología Social. Como una síntesis con el objetivo de ayudar a los investigadores y profesores de ciencias, se sugiere aquí una taxonomía de las actitudes relacionadas con la ciencia para mejorar la educación de las actitudes como una herramienta para lograr una alfabetización científica humanista en los estudiantes. ESP

SUMMARY The problem which we are tackling in this work emerges from three different concerns: the importance of `learning science `informally¿ as part of the school curriculum, the need for scientific literacy and the importance of the social implications of contemporary science. An exhibition was used in the Kutxaespacio Science Museum in San Sebastian on the centenary of the Spatial Theory of Relativity to design a visit for first year Engineering students and assess the learning which is achieved. The first part of the work presents the design which was produced to build bridges between formal teaching and the exhibition visit. The second part analyses the potential of the exhibition and the aforementioned design to influence the student¿s knowledge regarding three aspects of the Spatial Theory of Relativity. The results obtained demonstrate that the visit design with activities beforehand and afterwards is effective in terms of increasing students¿ understanding and stimulating their ability to argue scientifically. RESUMEN El problema que nos planteamos en este trabajo surge de tres diferentes preocupaciones: la importancia del `aprendizaje no formal¿ de la ciencia como parte del currículo escolar, la necesidad de alfabetización científica y la importancia de las implicaciones sociales de la ciencia contemporánea. Se ha aprovechado una exposición en el Kutxaespacio de la Ciencia de San Sebastián sobre el centenario de la Teoría Especial de la Relatividad para diseñar una visita de estudiantes de primer curso de Ingeniería y evaluar el aprendizaje logrado. En la primera parte del trabajo se expone el diseño realizado para establecer puentes entre la docencia formal y la visita a la exposición. En la segunda parte se analiza el potencial de la exposición y del diseño realizado para influir en el conocimiento de los estudiantes en tres aspectos de la Teoría Especial de la Relatividad. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el diseño de visita con actividades previas y posteriores a la misma resulta eficaz para aumentar la comprensión de los estudiantes y estimular su capacidad de argumentar científicamente.