An approach to epistemic emotions in physics' teaching-learning. The case of pre-service teachers.

It is well established that emotions play a key role in the teaching-learning process and cognitive and affective factors should receive especial consideration. This fact becomes even more important when dealing with pre-service teachers, since their emotions towards science will be projected into their future practice as early-childhood teachers. It has been also stated the influence of the instructional approach in which the teaching-learning process is based on the emotions of students towards science. In this line, the current study aims to monitor and interpret the emotions of pre-service teachers when addressing physics content learning, namely forces, from two different instructional approaches with increasing experimentality degree and implication of students. The considered instructional approaches consisted on a theoretical problem solving one and a practical one designed in the form of inquiry-based hands-on activities. A sample size of 118 students was considered and a questionnaire was employed for in situ emotions monitorization. A decrease from 30% to 12% in negative emotions and an increase from 85% to 91% in positive emotions was detected when considering the transition from instructional approach 1 (classroom approach) to instructional approach 2 (inquiry-based hands-on approach). The whole dataset was analyzed by means of principal component analysis (PCA). PCA reveals the importance of emotions' valence, but also their activating/deactivating character. An approach to epistemic emotions is achieved from this perspective. It has been demonstrated that the implementation of inquiry-based hand-on activities results in increased occurrence of security and trust among the students, in comparison with occurring emotions after receiving more theoretical interventions.

Chiricaspi (Brunfelsia grandiflora, Solanaceae), a Pharmacologically Promising Plant.

This study's objective was to evaluate the rescued traditional knowledge about the chiricaspi (Brunfelsia grandiflora s.l.), obtained in an isolated Canelo-Kichwa Amazonian community in the Pastaza province (Ecuador). This approach demonstrates well the value of biodiversity conservation in an endangered ecoregion. The authors describe the ancestral practices that remain in force today. They validated them through bibliographic revisions in data megabases, which presented activity and chemical components. The authors also propose possible routes for the development of new bioproducts based on the plant. In silico research about new drug design based on traditional knowledge about this species can produce significant progress in specific areas of childbirth, anesthesiology, and neurology.