Energy games: implementing an ISLE-based learning sequence to teach energy in technical and vocational schools

Abstract

Teaching energy is a challenging task. This is particularly true in technical and vocational schools since physics is taught only in 9-10th grades, and the percentage of students with special educational needs is higher than in other secondary schools. To cope with these issues, we developed an ISLE-based learning sequence to introduce the concept of energy, starting from qualitative conceptualisation; then, we implemented the learning sequence in two 9th-grade classes of a technical school in Italy. This research represents the first educational trial in Italy to introduce ISLE in technical and vocational schools.