Science Process Skills of Primary School Teachers
Insights from a Comparison with Physics Teachers
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22044481 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nataša Erceg (0000-0003-3308-1372, University of Rijeka), Tatjana Ivošević (0000-0001-5140-8354, University of Rijeka) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 851 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-28 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16060851 |
| OpenAlex | W7163390107 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 38 |
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
Self-Rated Content Knowledge for Interdisciplinary Science Teaching
Exploring Croatian In-Service Primary Teachers’ Professional Attitudes Toward Science Using the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS)
Causes of the Shortage of Physics Teachers in Croatia
Who Teaches Physics in Croatian Elementary Schools
Validation of an instrument for assessing basic science process skills in initial elementary teacher education
Teacher self-efficacy and reform
“Yes, I Can!” A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies Promoting Teacher Self-Efficacy
Those Who Understand
Comparing primary student teachers’ attitudes, subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge needs in a physics activity
Learning about and learning from expert teachers
| Highly cited | No |
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