Context-based learning is recognized in contemporary science education didactics as an approach that helps students grasp more complex ideas. It connects demanding concepts with relevant situations, narratives, and problem-based challenges. Science fiction represents a particularly interesting context in this regard, as it raises questions about science, technology, and belonging, while also being able to trigger strong situational interest in students and support their motivation to learn. In this master’s thesis, science fiction is used as a didactic framework for teaching the primary school subject Science and Technology in Grade 5, with an excerpt from the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy selected as the central starting material. The technical day was designed using the REACT framework and the updated 4C model, in which the context does not serve merely as an embellishment of the lesson, but as a scaffold that structures the transition from the story to concepts and learning objectives.
The aim of the study was to determine the effects of teaching science content in a science-fiction context among Grade 5 students. The study examined whether students’ achievement on the knowledge test changes after the technical day and how achievement is related to (1) individual interest in the subject Science and Technology, (2) individual interest in science fiction, and (3) situational interest measured after the technical day. In addition, a semi-structured interview was used to examine whether the selected excerpt and the author-created comic strip are appropriate teaching materials in terms of students’ comprehension and experience.
The research was based on a quantitative pre–post design with qualitative supplementation. Descriptive and causal non-experimental methods were employed. The sample included 60 Grade 5 students from a Ljubljana primary school in the 2023/2024 school year. Students completed a pre-test and a post-test and filled in a questionnaire on individual and situational interest. To gain insight into students’ experiences of the materials used, a semi-structured interview was conducted, serving as an explanation and complement to the quantitative findings.
The results show that students’ mean achievement did not change statistically after the technical day. Nevertheless, important links between interest and achievement emerged: students with higher individual interest in Science and Technology had higher prior knowledge, while individual interest in science fiction was not statistically significantly related to individual interest in Science and Technology. After the technical day, the importance of situational interest became evident - students were interested in the context presented. Engagement and the experience of the learning situation are closely associated with learning outcomes within this approach.
The study has practical value for primary school teachers when planning science lessons, as it shows that a science-fiction narrative can act as a strong motivational trigger and an effective entry point into inquiry-based activities. However, more stable effects on knowledge are likely to require longer, more systematic activities and the examination of effects in a larger sample and with delayed knowledge test measurement.
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