From experience to modelling: a Teaching-Learning sequence for studying surface phenomena in liquids through experiments and mesoscopic simulations

This doctoral dissertation investigates the teaching and learning of surface phenomena in liquids through an integrated approach that combines macroscopic observations, microscopic models, and mesoscopic simulations. Phenomena such as surface tension and capillarity provide a fertile educational context for developing skills in observation, analysis, and modelling, and for fostering deep and lasting learning. The research is situated within a constructivist theoretical framework, informed by the paradigm of Educational Reconstruction and by the ISLE (Investigative Science Learning Environment) approach, both of which emphasise active learning, conceptual change, and scientific modelling as means of integrating theory and experience. From this perspective, students are guided to gradually build knowledge starting from their initial conceptions, through engagement with experimental data, multiple representations, and iterative modelling processes.The project was developed around a carefully designed Teaching-Learning Sequence (TLS) aimed at promoting autonomous construction of meaning through a coherent set of macroscopic activities, microscopic conceptual models, and mesoscopic simulations based on the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. This sequence was implemented within a teaching intervention involving fourth-year students from a state secondary school specialising in scientific studies.The initial research hypothesis, namely that students hold mixed cognitive models, was subsequently confirmed by the data analysis, highlighting the need for instructional interventions capable of supporting the integration and negotiation of different forms of knowledge. To address this need, the TLS was designed as a progressive pathway beginning with direct experience and gradually guiding students towards more abstract and formalised forms of representation.The sequence begins with a set of macroscopic activities that serve as the first conceptual exploration ground. These qualitative experiments provide immediate contact with surface phenomena, stimulate accurate descriptions, and encourage the emergence of spontaneous questions. The experiences collected in this phase generate productive cognitive conflicts and serve as essential anchors for naturally introducing modelling practices. These modelling concepts are not intended to offer direct explanations of invisible processes, but rather to prepare students to interpret, in an informed manner, what they will encounter at the subsequent level.Mesoscopic simulations play a crucial role as an epistemic bridge between the observable and the invisible. Through the SPH method, otherwise inaccessible processes are rendered visible and manipulable, enabling students to explore emergent dynamics, vary parameters, and observe the effects of interparticle forces. This interactive experience allows macroscopic observations to be reinterpreted in light of processes situated between the perceptible world and more abstract theoretical models, thereby facilitating the transition from intuitive conceptions to formalised representations. In doing so, the mesoscopic level not only provides operational access to what is otherwise invisible, but also creates the conditions for microscopic modelling, introduced as conceptual tools, to be understood, contextualised, and integrated in a more mature and scientifically grounded manner.To thoroughly document the effects of this integrated pathway, from macroscopic experience to mesoscopic modelling, the teaching intervention was supported by a systematic collection of both qualitative and quantitative data, gathered through questionnaires, worksheets, clinical interviews, researcher diaries, and students’ spontaneous feedback. The qualitative analysis was conducted on two levels: a phenomenographic approach applied to the questionnaires, designed to identify distinct epistemological profiles within students’ mental models, and a thematic analysis of the remaining instruments, which made it possible to trace the complexity of the cognitive, social, affective, and metacognitive processes activated by the TLS. The integration of multiple qualitative methods provided a rich and multifaceted account of the conceptual transformations and interactive dynamics promoted by the sequence. In parallel, the quantitative analysis based on Likert-scale data offered insights into students’ satisfaction, perceived impact, and level of engagement with the proposed pathway, thus providing meaningful triangulation with the qualitative evidence.The findings show significant progress in conceptual understanding, in the ability to connect theoretical models with experimental observations, and in the development of metacognitive, collaborative, and reflective competences. The use of mesoscopic simulations emerged as particularly effective in supporting the conceptualisation of complex processes, in increasing students’ participation, and in promoting active and informed learning. Overall, the TLS contributed to strengthening students’ ability to adopt a scientific perspective in interpreting phenomena, while enhancing their autonomy in the process of knowledge construction.Finally, the study acknowledges several limitations, mainly related to the composition of the sample, the specificity of the educational context, and the technical resources required for the simulations. These elements suggest the need for further research exploring applications in more diverse contexts, the replicability of the approach in other educational and academic settings, and the potential extension of the analysis to additional observables included within the dimensions of learning. Future perspectives also include the refinement of modelling tools, integration with emerging technologies, and investigation of the role of collaborative modelling as a means of developing transversal competences. In this sense, the study provides a significant contribution to contemporary science education and to the design of instructional interventions grounded in robust empirical evidence, outlining a promising trajectory for the innovation of physics teaching.