Science Education International

Editorial

2026-04-01T02:05:25-06:00

Dear Readers,
The March 2026 issue of Science Education International presents eight original research articles authored by scholars from seven countries, including the Philippines, Turkey, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and Indonesia. This issue reflects the journal's commitment to advancing high-quality science education on a global scale by addressing themes such as inquiry-based learning, digital transformation, and conceptual understanding.
The issue opens with a study from the Philippines provides a scientometric review of inquiry-based learning in STEM education, mapping research trends and hotspots from 1997 to 2025 to offer a conceptual roadmap for future scholarship.
The second article, Rüdiger Tiemann and Anna-Lena Nitsche from Germany present a systematic review of mental models in chemistry education. Their findings emphasize that dynamic visualizations and attention to multiple representational levels are essential for fostering conceptual development.
The third section of the issue focuses on the evolving roles and challenges of educators in the modern classroom. Zukhra Mukhambetaliyeva from Kazakhstan explores the integration of artificial intelligence into teacher training, highlighting its potential to enhance individual learning while cautioning that ethical AI literacy must be a core component of professional development.
The fourth article, Burcu Senler provides a qualitative study from Turkey on how in-service science teachers navigate the implementation of inquiry-based teaching within centralized, examination-driven systems, identifying a critical gap between policy rhetoric and everyday practice.
The fifth article then shifts to student-centered interventions and interdisciplinary partnerships. From Finland, Anssi Salonen and colleagues investigate a school-industry partnership involving a weather balloon project, which demonstrated that practical engagement in real-world collaborations strengthens student agency and STEM orientation.
The sixth contribution, Hettie Terblanche and colleagues from South Africa report on the influence of technology-enhanced, brain-based learning on undergraduate engineering students, suggesting that neuroscientific insights can significantly improve science understanding for disadvantaged learners.
The seventh contribution concludes by addressing social awareness and specific conceptual challenges in science education. Tobias Schmidt and colleagues from Germany examine prospective science teachers' conceptions of sustainable nutrition, noting that while ecological aspects are well-recognized, health-related and cultural dimensions remain less integrated into their professional mindsets.
The eighth article, Mohd Zaidi Bin Amiruddin and colleagues from Indonesia utilize a three-tier open-reason test to diagnose physics misconceptions among high school students, specifically identifying the belief that gravity does not act in a vacuum as a dominant obstacle to understanding free-fall motion. Together, these articles provide valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for researchers and educators alike.
Overall, the articles in this March 2026 issue collectively demonstrate how innovative pedagogical approaches, digital technologies, and authentic learning experiences can support the development of self-efficacy, creativity, research competence, and career awareness in science education. Together, they provide valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for researchers, educators, and policymakers, reinforcing Science Education International’s mission to advance highquality science education on a global scale.
Bulent Cavas1,2*
1 Editor, Science Education International, 2 Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Türkiye

*Corresponding author: bulentcavas@gmail.com

Inquiry-Based Learning in STEM Education: A Scientometric Mapping of Research Trends, Hotspots, and Future Directions

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) has emerged as a cornerstone of innovative STEM education, fostering student agency and scientific thinking. However, the field remains fragmented, with limited synthesis of its evolving intellectual foundations and thematic directions. The present study employed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the global landscape of IBL research within STEM education published between 1997 and July 2025. Drawing on 1,048 documents retrieved from the Scopus database, the study analyzed performance indicators, co-citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns using VOSviewer. Results revealed a consistent rise in scholarly output and citations, reflecting a growing recognition of IBL’s pedagogical value. Four major intellectual clusters were identified, which emphasize curriculum standards, inquiry-driven reforms, cognitive learning perspectives, and evidence-based teaching practices. Co-word analysis revealed emergent themes, such as digital learning integration, pedagogical innovation, and disciplinary adaptation across science and engineering education. Critically, this study provides a structured lens for educators, policymakers, and researchers to navigate the complex terrain of IBL in STEM, offering empirical insights into prevailing discourses and knowledge gaps. The findings place emphasis on the need for deeper transdisciplinary collaboration, localized pedagogical models, and inquiry-based frameworks that respond to the demands of 21st-century learning. As STEM education continues to evolve, this study serves as a conceptual roadmap for future scholarship and policy-making grounded in evidence-based inquiry.

Making the Invisible Visible: A Systematic Review of Mental Models in Chemistry Education

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This systematic literature review analyzes 22 studies on mental models in chemistry education published between 2013 and 2022. Findings reveal a growing research interest, particularly since 2015, with a strong geographical concentration in Asia – most notably Indonesia – likely linked to the implementation of the 2013 curriculum (K-13) (Machali, 2014). The reviewed studies vary methodologically: More than half were basic investigations exploring the structure, composition, and misconceptions of mental models (Seel, 2014), while others implemented interventions using dynamic simulations (Akaygun, 2016a; Akaygun, 2016b) or evaluated diagnostic tools (Chiang and Chiu, 2015). Qualitative and mixed-method approaches dominate, especially semi-structured interviews (Döring and Bortz, 2016; Greca and Moreira, 1997). The studies primarily address fundamental chemistry concepts such as bonding, atomic structure, and acidbase reactions (Yildirir and Demirkol, 2018). Results indicate that dynamic visualizations, attention to the three representational levels (Albaiti et al., 2022; Murni et al., 2022), and motivational factors positively influence mental model development, while misconceptions impede it (Putri and Wiyarsi, 2022; Buckley, 2000). The review concludes that methodological diversity is essential for a comprehensive understanding. Future research should refine theoretical frameworks, evaluate innovative digital approaches, and further investigate mechanisms influencing mental model formation to enhance chemistry learning outcomes.

Artificial Intelligence Integration in Teacher Training: Advancing Functional and Professional Competencies for Quality Education (Sustainable Development Goal 4)

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This article explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into teacher education as a key driver for enhancing professional and functional competencies in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education). The study highlights that AI technologies, when responsibly embedded into the educational process, can transform teaching practices, promote inclusivity, and foster innovation in learning. Through a mixed-method approach involving content analysis and pilot implementation using the «Aitalim» platform, the research investigates teachers’ digital competencies, ethical considerations, and readiness to apply AI in their professional activities. Results indicate that 42.4% of educators frequently use AI tools for lesson planning, assessment, and material creation, while 35.6% apply them occasionally. The integration of AI demonstrates significant potential in improving efficiency, supporting individualized learning, and enhancing student engagement. However, the study also identifies major challenges such as the risk of reducing teachers’ professional roles, increased plagiarism, and data privacy concerns. Ethical AI literacy emerges as a crucial component of teacher training programs, emphasizing the importance of developing educators’ critical, ethical, and reflective skills to use AI safely and effectively. The article concludes that responsible AI integration can strengthen education quality, optimize teacher workload, and create equitable and adaptive learning environments. This requires comprehensive policy support, professional development, and continuous assessment frameworks to align with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s AI Competency Framework for Teachers and the European Digital Competence of Educators model.

In-Service Science Teachers’ Understanding and Classroom Implementation of Inquiry-Based Teaching in Turkey: A Multi-Case Qualitative Study

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This study examines how in-service middle school science teachers in Turkey conceptualize and implement inquiry-based teaching (IBT) within an examination-driven, centralized system. Employing a qualitative multi-case design, five teachers were purposively selected, and data were triangulated through semi-structured interviews and extended classroom observations. The findings indicate that while teachers value IBT for fostering questioning, evidence-based reasoning, and collaboration, their enactment is constrained by high-stakes examinations, rigid pacing guides, limited laboratory resources, and episodic professional development. Teachers reported adapting by blending inquiry with test-oriented routines, narrowing investigations, and relying on informal peer support to address material and time constraints. Cross-case synthesis reveals an implementation gap between policy rhetoric and everyday practice, sustained by misalignment across curriculum, assessment, and professional learning. The study provides a comprehensive, context-sensitive account of how teachers interpret and negotiate IBT under structural pressures, offering analytic insights that are transferable to similarly centralized systems. Closing this gap requires coherent assessment policies that reward investigative practices, sustained, job-embedded professional learning, and the equitable provision of laboratories, consumables, and manageable class sizes. By foregrounding teachers’ voices alongside observed practice, the study advances understanding of the practical conditions under which IBT can transition from aspiration to routine classroom reality across diverse regions and comparable systems worldwide.

Interest and Competence Development in School-industry Partnership: Exploring the Stratosphere

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This study investigated how a school-industry partnership intervention influences Finnish high school students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and their competence development through a hands-on weather balloon project. The intervention engaged students, technology education student teachers (ST), teachers, university lecturers and industry experts in collaborative design, assembly, launch and analysis activities. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data from questionnaires assessed students’ interest factors, perceived relevance and self-competence, while qualitative data from open-ended responses provided insight into students’ experiences. The results indicated that practical engagement in an interdisciplinary collaboration and a supportive learning environment strengthened students’ agency, knowledge acquisition and further interest. However, a significant discrepancy emerged between ST’ higher evaluations of students’ competence development and students’ more modest self-assessments, particularly in technical proficiency. This gap highlights the need for clearer communication regarding learning goals, formative assessments and reflections to help students recognize their growth. As suggested by the findings, well-structured partnerships offer authentic learning aligned with curriculum goals, promoting 21st-century skills and supporting students’ STEM orientation.

The Influence of Technology-enhanced Brain-based Learning on the Science Understanding and Performance of First-year Undergraduate Engineering Students

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This study examines the impact of technology-enhanced, brain-based learning (BBL) on the science understanding and performance of disadvantaged students in South Africa. The research employed an experimental design, involving 18 students in the control group and 23 in the experimental group. These students were assessed at a University of Technology in South Africa over six consecutive sessions, focusing on a challenging physics concept, fluid mechanics, which is not covered in the school syllabus. The teaching intervention incorporated BBL strategies supported by technology, integrating current neuroscientific insights with evidence-based pedagogical approaches in the classroom. A science achievement test was administered before and after the intervention, along with a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. The findings suggest that the intervention positively influenced science understanding and performance. Participant feedback indicated that 91.3% felt optimistic that the intervention helped them better grasp science concepts. The statistical analysis shows that the experimental group exhibited greater improvement in science scores than the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Prospective Science Teachers´ Conceptions of Sustainable Nutrition

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

In the light of increasing pressure on natural resources, growing social inequalities, and enhancing health problems, the concept of sustainable nutrition is becoming increasingly important to overcome several of these challenges. It combines ecological compatibility with social justice and health benefits and thus represents an essential component of sustainable development. Education plays a decisive role in promoting a profound understanding of these complex interrelationships and developing skills for sustainable behavior. This study explores prospective science teachers’ understanding of sustainable nutrition through qualitative analysis of individual interviews (n = 15). The findings reveal while nearly all respondents referred to ecological, social, and economic aspects, the health-related and cultural dimensions were considered less frequently. Accordingly, prospective science teachers demonstrated a multi-perspective mindset to sustainable nutrition but did not integrate all perspectives relevant to profound teaching or decision-making. Sustainable nutrition is mostly associated with the concepts of regionality, a meat-free diet, and higher prices. Although students showed an awareness of the complexity of sustainable nutrition, the 28 mentioned sub-concepts were often used in an undifferentiated manner. Critical gaps in knowledge remain, such as an egocentric view instead of global thinking. These insights highlight the need for subject-specific content and interdisciplinary approaches in higher education on sustainable topics.

The Three-Tier Open-Reason Test: Analyzing Misconceptions and Obstacles Students through Individual-Centered Written Verbal Representations on Physics Concept

2026-04-01T02:05:26-06:00

This study investigates students’ conceptions of the free-fall motion concept. The three-tier open-reason test was used as an instrument to diagnose students’ conceptual understanding. A total of 20 high school students (10 males and 10 females) participated in this study. The analysis focused on individual-centered verbal written representations to uncover students’ understanding, misconceptions (MCs), and the reasoning behind their answers. The results indicate that the most dominant MCs is the belief that gravity does not act in a vacuum. While some students demonstrated partial or sound understanding, many provided guessing or non-scientific answers. Rasch analysis was employed to measure individual student abilities and map item difficulty, enabling the identification of students who require targeted interventions. These findings highlight the importance of addressing specific MCs and applying tailored instructional approaches to enhance conceptual understanding in physics.