Características de los ejercicios de prácticas de laboratorio incluidos en los libros de textos de Ciencias utilizados en Cataluña

The laboratory exercices in science textbooks used in grades 9 to 12 in Catalonian schools were content analyzed by three instruments: The Inquiry Level Index (ILI), the Laboratory Assessment Inventory (LAI) and the Laboratory Dimenssions Inventory (LDI). The analysis was carried out by 24 teachers under the guidance of two science educators as an assignment in an in-service course on teaching and evaluation in the laboratory. It was found that the number of laboratory exercises offered in Catalonian science texbooks is rather small compared with texbooks in countries such as the U. K. and U.S.A. Most of the exercises are of low inquiry level featuring manipulation but missing high other inquiry skills such as formulating questions and hypotheses, designing experiments, etc. The relationship between practical work and theory is hardly indicated and the potential of the laboratory as a means to enhancing concept learning and/or developing social skills are hardly being considered. There is an urgent need to reform laboratory work in Catalonian schools.