Methodological proposal with Project Based Learning for teaching electrical circuits in secondary education

Abstract

The teaching of electrical circuits and Ohm’s Law at the upper secondary level presents challenges related to conceptual understanding, the instructional strategies employed, and the practical application of knowledge. This study aimed to design a Project-Based Learning (PBL) instructional guide for teaching series, parallel, and series-parallel electrical circuits based on Ohm’s Law to second-year upper secondary students at Unidad Educativa Fiscomisional Monseñor Maximiliano Spiller. The study adopted a projective research approach, with a field-based design and descriptive scope. The sample consisted of 28 second-year upper secondary science students who completed a structured questionnaire comprising 17 closed-ended questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that 89.29% of the students lacked confidence in their knowledge of electrical circuits and Ohm’s Law. Furthermore, 78.57% reported that the instructional strategies used only occasionally, rarely, or never facilitated their understanding of these topics, while 60.72% indicated limited use of practical examples. Based on the diagnostic findings, an instructional guide comprising four contextualized projects was developed, incorporating practical and collaborative activities designed to connect theoretical principles with real-world applications. The findings indicate that the identified difficulties support the incorporation of active instructional strategies and provide a basis for the proposed guide as a resource for improving the learning of electrical circuits and Ohm’s Law.