Science Education International

The Preface

Bulent Cavas — 2024-09-30

It is with great pleasure that we present Volume 35, Issue 3 of Science Education International, which continues to bring together diverse perspectives, innovative approaches, and groundbreaking research in science education from around the world. This issue underscores the ever-evolving nature of science education as it responds to the needs of our global society, the challenges of emerging technologies, and the growing recognition of environmental and sustainability issues.

This edition is particularly significant as it features 11 insightful articles from researchers and educators across the globe, representing countries such as the Croatia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Morocco, Palestine, Philippines, Turkey and USA. The international scope of these contributions reflects the dynamic and interconnected nature of science education today, as educators from diverse regions explore common challenges and share creative solutions.

We are especially pleased to open this issue with an article from the USA, titled "Investigating Factors that Predict Japanese Science Teachers’ Job Satisfaction: Evidence from TIMSS 2019". This study draws on international assessment data to explore the key factors influencing science teachers' job satisfaction in Japan, offering valuable insights into the global conversation around teacher well-being and educational quality.

The second article, "Science Teachers’ Beliefs on Science Teaching and Learning for Implementing in STEM Education", comes from authors in Japan and Denmark. This research explores science teachers' perceptions of STEM education and how their beliefs influence their teaching practices, providing a crucial perspective on the alignment between pedagogical beliefs and STEM implementation across different educational contexts.

Our third article, "Developing an Augmented Reality-based Board Game for Teaching Atomic Models", hails from Palestine. It introduces an innovative approach to teaching atomic models through an augmented reality (AR) board game, showcasing the potential of AR technologies to enhance engagement and conceptual understanding in science education.

The fourth article, "Pre-service Teachers’ Preparedness for In-service Science Teaching in Primary Education – A Case Study in Croatia", focuses on pre-service teacher education in Croatia, assessing how well-prepared future teachers feel for their roles in teaching science. This study provides valuable insights into teacher training and the challenges faced by novice educators as they transition into the classroom.

The fifth article, "Primary School 4th-Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Socioscientific Issues and Question Asking: Philosophy for Children", from Turkey, explores the attitudes of primary school students toward socioscientific issues and the impact of the "Philosophy for Children" approach on their ability to ask meaningful questions. This research highlights the importance of fostering critical thinking and ethical reasoning in young learners through open discussion of real-world issues.

The sixth article, "Unlocking the Power of Togetherness: Exploring the Impact of Cooperative Learning on Peer Relationships, Academic Support, and Gains in Secondary School Biology in Gedeo Zone, South Ethiopia", examines the effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in fostering peer relationships, academic support, and student achievement in biology. Conducted in Ethiopia, this research emphasizes the value of collaborative learning in enhancing both social and academic outcomes in secondary school education.

The seventh article, "Empirical Analysis of Physics Test Instruments to Measure Graphical Representation Abilities in 'Temperature and Heat' Topics", comes from Indonesia. This study focuses on the development and evaluation of assessment tools designed to measure students' abilities to understand graphical representations in the context of temperature and heat. By addressing the intersection of assessment and physics education, this research provides valuable insights into effective measurement practices in science teaching.

The eighth article, "Impact of Alternative Learning Activity Program on Student Leadership Development in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics School", from the Philippines, explores the influence of an alternative learning activity program on student leadership development within a STEM-focused school. This research highlights the importance of engaging students in leadership opportunities to enhance their personal and academic growth in the STEM fields.

The ninth article, "Boosting Student Motivation in Chemistry: A Study on the Integration of Educational Robotics and Mobile Technology for pH Instruction", from Morocco, investigates the use of educational robotics and mobile technology to enhance student motivation in chemistry education, particularly in the context of teaching pH concepts. This study demonstrates how integrating technology into the curriculum can foster student engagement and improve learning outcomes in science education.

The tenth article, "Bibliometric Analysis of Virtual Reality in Science Education over the Three Decades (1993-2023)", also from Indonesia, presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature surrounding virtual reality in science education over the past three decades. This research offers valuable insights into trends, gaps, and future directions for the use of virtual reality technologies in science teaching and learning.

The eleventh article, "Exploring Filipino Students’ Critical Thinking Skills: Basis for Enhancement of Science Laboratory Class Delivery", also from the Philippines, examines the critical thinking skills of Filipino students and discusses implications for enhancing the delivery of science laboratory classes. This study emphasizes the importance of fostering critical thinking within the laboratory setting to improve students' overall scientific literacy.

The articles in this issue highlight key trends and best practices in areas such as curriculum design, the integration of digital tools, inquiry-based learning, and equity in STEM education. Together, they provide a critical reflection on how science education can not only meet the needs of today's students but also prepare them to be the innovators and problem-solvers of tomorrow.

As you explore the contents of this issue, we hope they ignite new ideas, encourage thoughtful discussion, and offer practical guidance to enhance science education in your own context. We are deeply grateful to the authors, reviewers, and the editorial team whose efforts have made this issue possible.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with Science Education International. We hope you find this issue both enlightening and inspiring.

Bulent Cavas1,2,3*

1 Editor, Science Education International,

2 Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Türkiye,

3 Faculty of Education, Usak University, Uşak, Türkiye

Investigating Factors that Predict Japanese Science Teachers’ Job Satisfaction: Evidence from TIMSS 2019

Michelle Eades-Baird — 2024-09-30

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 data revealed that Grade 8 science teachers in several Asian countries (Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, and South Korea) reported lower job satisfaction levels than the international average. For example, while Japanese Grade 8 students ranked among the highest in science achievement on the TIMSS 2019, their science teachers reported the lowest job satisfaction composite scale score compared to the other 63 participating countries. Using teacher questionnaire data from TIMSS 2019, we utilized correlation analysis and multiple linear regression to uncover the answers to this research question: Which factors contribute to Japanese Grade 8 science teachers’ job satisfaction? The results from the analysis indicate that working in a safe and orderly school environment was the strongest predictor of Japanese Grade 8 science teacher job satisfaction. The number of working hours, amount of perceived pressure exerted by their students’ parents, participation in professional development focused on science curriculum, and adopting a constructivist orientation to science teaching were the other significant factors that predicted job satisfaction. Findings from this study have implications for Japanese educational policy stakeholders, school administrators, mentor teachers, science department leadership, and those invested in science teachers’ professional development.

Science Teachers’ Beliefs on Science Teaching and Learning for Implementing in STEM Education

Miku Yoshida — 2024-09-30

STEM, STEAM education is important for building a better future, and teachers have a key role in attracting students to the field of STEM. However, when teachers need to shift from traditional disciplinary-based education to integrated STEM education, they often find this transition challenging. This difficulty arises because their beliefs about science teaching and learning are deeply rooted in traditional disciplinary-based approaches. Beliefs have a profound influence on their teaching practises as well as their professional development, even though teachers are often not conscious of their own beliefs. To address this issue, we employed a phenomenological approach to investigate the phenomena when their beliefs espoused by asking formative episodes that influenced their development as science teachers. This study aimed at exploring the current subject-specific beliefs of in-service science teachers. This told us how best to guide teachers through this process of the transition from traditional disciplinary-based education to STEM education. Our findings
revealed that teachers’ beliefs showed that curiosity and/or interest towards science to be the most important factors in student learning. This indicates that while teachers’ core beliefs are not entirely disciplinary-oriented, they are more open. It would reduce their anxiety and low self-efficacy in conveying STEM education.

Developing an Augmented Reality-based Board Game for Teaching Atomic Models

Marwan Abualrob — 2024-09-30

This study aims to develop an augmented reality (AR) board game for teaching atomic models and measure its effectiveness from the student’s point of view. The Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model was used to create the AR board game to help achieve the study objectives. The study collected data from three focus groups, each one consisting of 8 students, as well as a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 30 specialists. Qualitative analysis was used on the reflective writing of a sample of 20 female
students from Kferit’s Secondary Girls’ school upon experiencing the educational product to measure the study’s effectiveness. The study findings revealed the great credibility of the educational product and its effectiveness in promoting creativity, innovation, communication and collaboration skills, and information literacy; as well as improving student motivation in a more entertaining learning environment.

Pre-service Teachers’ Preparedness for In-service Science Teaching in Primary Education – A Case Study in Croatia

Nataša Erceg — 2024-09-30

An experimental science curriculum for primary school was introduced in Croatia for the 1st time in the 2023/24 school year. This is taking place against the backdrop of a shortage of teachers from various science subjects, especially physics. They are increasingly being replaced by non-professional teachers, often those with a Master of Primary Education, which gives access to the profession of primary junior grade teacher. In this study, the subject matter knowledge (SMK) in science of 44 pre-service teachers aiming for the above-mentioned degree is examined using the SMK test. The test contains 40 trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) items from the 4th-grade science content domain Physical Science and allowed us to compare the achievement of our respondents with the achievement of pupils who participated in the TIMSS assessments. The results show that the percentage correctness of the pre-service teachers on the SMK test was statistically significantly higher than that of the 4th-grade pupils. However, the correlation coefficients showed that the pre-service teachers had greater difficulties with the items with which the pupils had greater difficulties, and vice versa. This applies in particular to the items on forces and motion and to the items from the cognitive domain of reasoning. The reason for the unsatisfactory science SMK of our respondents could be the incompatibility of the university science curriculum with the demands placed on pupils in the relevant school subjects and International science assessments such as TIMSS. The results of this study confirm and extend the contribution of existing research and should serve as a basis for subsequent research as well as for the design of a further course of science education reform in Croatia and in the countries of the region.

Primary School 4th Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Socioscientific Issues and Question Asking: Philosophy for Children

Ergun Yurtbakan — 2024-09-30

In this study, the effect of philosophy for children on primary school 4th-grade students’ attitudes toward socioscientific issues (SSIs) and asking questions will be examined. Aquasi-experimental design will be used in the study. In the study, 48 (experimental group [EG]: 24, control group [CG]: 24) primary school 4th-grade students studying in a primary school in the Derince district of Kocaeli province were included in the study with convenient case sampling. The data in the study were collected with the “Question Asking Attitude Scale” and “Children’s Attitudes Toward Socioscientific Issues Scale.” The post-test scores of the experimental and CG students’ attitudes toward SSIs and asking questions were analyzed by the Mann–Whitney U test and the change between the pre- and post-test scores of the students in the experimental and CG s was analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. As a result of the analyzes, it was revealed that although both the philosophy for children intervention (EG) and the traditional reading intervention (CG) increased the primary school 4th-grade students’ attitudes toward SSIs and asking questions, it was not at a statistically significant level. However, students in the EG discussing SSIs through the philosophy for children application significantly increased their awareness of SSIs and asking questions compared to the students in the CG.

Unlocking the Power of Togetherness: Exploring the Impact of Cooperative Learning on Peer Relationships, Academic Support, and Gains in Secondary School Biology in Gedeo Zone South Ethiopia

Yidnekachew Awraris Kebede — 2024-09-30

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative effectiveness of cooperative learning (CL) strategies on learners’ peer relatedness, academic support (AS), and learning gains in Biology. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent group pre-test post-test design was employed, involving a sample of 81 students. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, and analyses were conducted using t-tests, one-way MANOVA, bivariate correlation, and regression analysis. As anticipated, the t-test and MANOVA results revealed that participation in CL strategies had a moderate to substantial effect on the measured variables, with Partial η2 values ranging from 0.471 to 0.722. In addition, regression analysis indicated that peer relationships and AS together accounted for 43.2% of the variance in overall learning gains. Qualitative findings highlighted significant challenges to the effective implementation of CL, including students’ unfamiliarity with the method, resource constraints, and teacher resistance. The findings provide preliminary evidence that shifting classroom instruction from a content-centric approach to a learner-centered approach can enhance not only the quality of teaching but also the quality of learning and key indicators of student success.

Empirical Analysis of Physics Test Instruments to Measure Graphical Representation Abilities in “Temperature and Heat” Topics

Ananda Aprilia — 2024-09-30

This study focused on developing physics test instruments for senior high school students on the topics of temperature and heat. The study aimed to determine (i) the quality of the test instrument content, (ii) the feasibility of the test instrument, and (iii) students’ graphic representation abilities on “Temperature and Heat” topics. The test instrument development went through three stages, namely test design, testing, and test assembly. The test instrument was tested in the Science Class XII of the Public Senior High School 5 Yogyakarta with a total of 195 students as research subjects. The item analyzes in this study included analysis of model validity, reliability, level of difficulty, and level of students’ ability. The research results showed that the test instrument for the graphical representation of “Temperature and Heat” topics had good content quality but still needed to be improved. The feasibility of the graphic representation test instrument showed that there were seven items that were declared valid and reliable even though the items tested did not conform to the Rasch
model. However, these seven items were still suitable for use on a wide scale to measure graphical representations of “Temperature and Heat” topics. Finally, in the analysis of students’ abilities regarding graphical representation individually, the largest percentage was in the low category, while, overall, the students’ abilities level was classified as medium. Thus, it was necessary to improve question items that involve graphical representation that meet the criteria for good, valid, and reliable question items, and can improve students’ graphic representation abilities.

Impact of Alternative Learning Activity Program on Student Leadership Development in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics School

Dominic Patric Galdonez — 2024-09-30

This study explored the impact of the alternative learning activity (ALA) program offered in the Philippine Science High School-Ilocos Region Campus toward students’ leadership abilities. A mixed-methods approach was used to conduct the study through a survey of 132 student leaders affiliated with ALA clubs in the years 2022 to 2024. The results indicated that the participants exhibited strong expertise in communication, critical thinking, character development, citizenship, diversity appreciation, global understanding, and skill development in the measured indicators, suggesting that the ALA program is effective in producing well-rounded leaders. The findings also showed that almost all dimensions of leadership qualities exhibited the strong positive relationships between indicators, indicating their significant relationship and hinting that effective leadership is multidimensional. In ALA clubs, it was found that excellent leadership practices include providing diverse learning opportunities (kataguyod), offering targeted skill training (katuwang), offering mentorship and peer support (kaagapay), provision of leadership support (kalakbay), and inclusivity enhancement (kabahagi). These are beneficial practices, not only instill skills among the members but they also promote personal development. These findings show the importance of specialized leadership training in preparation for varied leadership roles.

Boosting Student Motivation in Chemistry: A Study on the Integration of Educational Robotics and Mobile Technology for pH Instruction

Slimane Omari — 2024-09-30

To address the challenge of improving the understanding of chemistry concepts, particularly pH, this study explored the impact of integrating educational robotics on students’ motivation and learning outcomes. A total of 160 3rd-year middle school students from a public school in Meknes, Morocco, participated in the study, which was divided into an experimental group (n = 82) and a control group (n = 78). Student performance was evaluated through standardized tests, while motivation levels were gauged using a questionnaire. The findings indicated a significant increase in motivation among students in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. However, no significant differences in overall academic performance were detected between the two groups. These findings provide valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers, underscoring the importance of integrating innovative pedagogical approaches with traditional methods to enhance science education.

Bibliometric Analysis of Virtual Reality in Science Education over the Three Decades (1993-2023)

Reza Ruhbani Amarulloh — 2024-09-30

This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the use of virtual reality in science education over three decades (1993–2023). The method involved data from Google Scholar-indexed publications using Publish or Perish with keywords related to “virtual reality” and “education” over the past 3 decades. Nine hundred and eighty-six publications were obtained with a total of 131,130 citations with an average of 133 citations/paper and 4371 citations/year. The collected data were then screened to ensure its quality. Next, VOSviewer software was conducted to perform co-authorship and co-occurrence analysis. The results of the co-authorship analysis showed that there were 164 authors eligible to be visualized and divided into 88 clusters, indicating a high level of collaboration among authors in this field. Co-occurrence analysis shows that “virtual reality” has an occurrence of 696 in cluster 5 and “science education” is only 16 in cluster 2 with word networks formed only on the words “virtual reality,” “education,” and “field.” This study emphasizes the need for better VR in science education and more research on its impact on students’ science literacy. It outlines VR usage trends in science
education, informing future studies. The findings particularly highlight the importance of investigating VR’s effectiveness in formal educational settings.

Exploring Filipino Students’ Critical Thinking Skills: Basis for Enhancement of Science Laboratory Class Delivery

Ryan Lansangan — 2024-09-30

In today’s knowledge-based and rapidly changing society, developing students’ critical thinking skills in instruction is a vital concern in almost all science curricula. To acquire meaningful learning, learners need to develop skills in choosing suitable information, gauging the integrity of information, and crafting sound decisions. With this, creating learning spaces that stimulate critical thinking has become a challenge among educators. This study aims to explore the critical thinking profile of Filipino students in science laboratory classes as a means of generating insight for possible curricular enhancement. Utilizing a quantitative descriptive research design, a survey was administered to 300 junior high school students under K to 12 curricula. Results revealed that openness to different ideas is the most practiced aspect of critical thinking among Filipino students, while the planning and organization of information disclosed as the least. Furthermore, the importance of gathering information to support position is the most agreed factor, while the strategies in thinking of a problem in an experiment are the least. Hence, findings suggest that the necessary facets of critical thinking strategies should be explicitly articulated in the science curriculum framework, especially encapsulating it in the content and performance standards.