Exploring the phenomena of floating and sinking in science education literature: a systematic review

In this paper, we present an analysis of publications on the phenomena of floating and sinking in science education literature from the last five decades. A PRISMA based search procedure led us to study a total of 71 research papers. To analyse these papers, we designed an analysis protocol in which the following aspects were taken into account: the research aims proposed in the papers; the concepts related to floating and sinking; the testing objects; and the teaching approaches. The results highlight a positive shift towards social constructivist teaching approaches, such as inquiry or modelling, within floating and sinking research. This trend aligns with evidence demonstrating their effectiveness in promoting student learning. However, a lack of consensus persists regarding the concepts and testing objects used to teach these phenomena, which could lead to fragmented learning experiences and potentially hinder students’ conceptual development. Further research is needed to address these gaps and develop a cohesive instructional framework that facilitates its potential transfer to the classroom. The results of this study have implications for research and curriculum design.