An Exploration of Physics Teachers’ Lesson Plans Within the IBSE Framework: The Case of Teaching Mechanics in Autistic Students

Drawing from a broad and multifaceted stream of educational research and practice that has gradually emerged in recent decades within science education field, widely known as Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE), the current study aims to extend its boundaries within the special education field. In particular it aspires to investigate to what extent teachers foster IBSE characteristics and accommodate the specific learning characteristics of students with autism when they are called to teach them projectile motion and the concept of force. To fulfill this goal, seven secondary school physics teachers with a background in special education were recruited to develop lesson plans on mechanics for high-functioning autistic adolescents. Our findings indicate that these teachers exhibit varying levels of engagement, with certain aspects of IBSE being applied more consistently than others. Notably, the nature of the content appears to play a significant role in shaping this variability. The findings show that teachers tend to demonstrate different levels of engagement, with some aspects of IBSE being more consistently applied than others. Interestingly, the nature of the content appears to play a significant role in influencing this variability. The findings of the current study are likely to contribute to teaching and learning science content to students that with autism spectrum disorder.