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Published:
May 11, 2026
Keywords:
Scientific literacy
Physics Education
Popular culture
Harry Potter
Thermodynamics

Abstract

This classroom experience was developed with 36 eighth-grade students from a public school in Santiago and aimed to integrate popular culture contexts into thermodynamics teaching. A didactic sequence inspired by the Harry Potter saga was designed and implemented, structured according to the constructivist cycle proposed by Jorba and Sanmartí, fostering the exploration of prior ideas, experimental work, and the modeling of thermal phenomena. The methodology followed a qualitative action-research approach, documenting conceptual gains through scientific argumentation, modeling, and the relationship between evidence and explanation. Results indicate increased motivation, participation, and progressive understanding of heat transfer, conduction, and changes of state. These findings align with research showing the motivational potential of science fiction literature and films in physics education. It is concluded that popular culture can act as an effective didactic mediator to strengthen scientific literacy, connecting school physics with culturally meaningful references for students.

Emanuel Sotelo
How to Cite
Sotelo, E. (2026). Popular Culture Contexts as a Didactic Strategy: Harry Potter and Thermodynamics in Eighth Grade. Chilean Journal of Scientific Education, 27(1), 101–106. Retrieved from http://revistas.umce.cl/index.php/RChEC/article/view/3264

References

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Jorba, J., & Sanmartí, N. (1996). La enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las ciencias: un enfoque constructivista. Madrid: MEC / Síntesis.

La Llave Portuondo, O., & Pedroso Camejo, F. L. (2016). Tareas docentes con un enfoque sociocultural en la enseñanza de la física. Varona, (62), 1–11. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/3606/360657458024.pdf

Palacios, S. (2017). El cine y la literatura de ciencia ficción como herramientas didácticas en la enseñanza de la física: una experiencia en el aula. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias, 4(1), 106–122. https://revistas.uca.es/index.php/eureka/article/view/3836

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