Science Process Skills of Primary School Teachers

Insights from a Comparison with Physics Teachers

Datos Bibliográficos

ID22044481
AutoresNataša Erceg (0000-0003-3308-1372, University of Rijeka), Tatjana Ivošević (0000-0001-5140-8354, University of Rijeka)
Año2026
Volumen16
Número6
Páginas851
Fecha de publicación2026-05-28
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
EditorialMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci16060851
OpenAlexW7163390107
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas38

Science process skills (SPS) are a vital component of science education and a prerequisite for engaging in scientific inquiry in the classroom. This study aimed to examine the level of SPS among primary school teachers and to explore possible differences compared with physics teachers as subject specialists. Additionally, the study investigated whether differences in SPS exist among primary school teachers in relation to years of teaching experience. The research was conducted as a quantitative cross-sectional study on a sample of 222 teachers in Croatia (160 primary school teachers and 62 physics teachers). The results indicate that the level of SPS among primary school teachers varies across different domains. Lower levels of achievement were observed in tasks involving the identification of variables, the selection of measuring instruments, and the interpretation of graphical and tabular data. Comparison with physics teachers revealed statistically significant differences in most examined domains, with subject specialists achieving higher levels of performance. However, years of teaching experience did not systematically explain differences in SPS levels. The findings highlight the need for a more systematic development of inquiry-related competencies among primary school teachers within both initial teacher education and professional development programmes

Primary education · Professional development · School teachers · Science education · Educational Methods and Outcomes · Science Education and Pedagogy · Science Education and Perceptions