Science anxiety may influence students’ engagement and persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, yet its measurement in upper-secondary science remains fragmented. This pilot study developed and preliminarily examined a multidimensional questionnaire assessing subject-specific science anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), thinking-related anxiety, classroom context, and competence beliefs. A retrospective convenience sample of 44 1st-year teacher-education students completed the questionnaire based on their upper-secondary science learning experiences. Analyses focused on feasibility, internal consistency, item functioning, and preliminary associations among constructs. Most subscales showed acceptable to strong internal consistency, although some items and the perceived skills scale required refinement. Physics and chemistry were most often identified as the most anxiety-provoking science subjects. Descriptive correlations suggested that subject-specific anxiety, creative thinking anxiety, and IU were positively related, while teacher support, autonomy, and self-efficacy appeared partly distinct. Overall, the questionnaire provides a preliminary basis for further refinement and validation with current upper-secondary students.
Despite the global emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, the field is still marked by systemic disparities that restrict the participation of underrepresented groups. While the necessity of inclusive practices is widely recognized, European educators frequently lack context-specific professional development (PD) tailored to their unique educational landscapes. This study explores how STEM teachers reflect on their identities, classroom practices, and school environments in relation to inclusion. Data were collected from 63 STEM teachers across 16 European countries who participated in a targeted blended training program, using a questionnaire-based self-reflection tool adapted from the American Psychological Association’s (2021) considering diversity self-reflection tool and comprising Likert-scale items on teacher identity, classroom practices, curriculum/materials, and school environment. The study employed descriptive statistics to assess teacher perceptions and Kruskal–Wallis tests to examine the impact of training duration. Key findings indicate that while teachers hold strong positive beliefs regarding the importance of inclusion (M = 4.6), they report significantly lower confidence in practical applications, such as constructively addressing diversity-related conflicts (M = 3.9) and selecting inclusive curriculum materials. Crucially, the analysis revealed that the duration of training significantly impacts teachers’ self-awareness, specifically regarding how their own cultural identities influence their professional judgment (p = 0.008). These results highlight a critical gap between inclusive intent and pedagogical practice. The study concludes that to move beyond superficial awareness, future STEM PD curricula in Europe must be redesigned to prioritize sustained, critical reflection and provide concrete strategies for conflict resolution and material adaptation.
This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of chemistry teacher training programs in Türkiye and the Netherlands from the perspective of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the scope of integrating global sustainability principles into education systems. The curricula of the bachelor’s degree programs in chemistry education at Hacettepe University in Türkiye and Hogeschool Utrecht in the Netherlands are examined in this study based on the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of the SDGs. The findings of the analysis reveal that both higher education institutions have included sustainability goals in their education programs, but the priorities emphasized differ according to institutional and regional dynamics. While the “Quality Education” goal (SDG 4) is a dominant element in the Turkish program, the Dutch program allocates much more space to the themes of “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” (SDG 9) and environmental sustainability in addition to SDG 4. It is concluded that while the programs in both countries primarily focus on the social dimension of sustainability, a more balanced and holistic approach is needed to integrate the environmental and economic dimensions into the curriculum for the training of future chemistry teachers. Thus, this study serves as an important indicator of the process of modernizing teacher training curricula in line with the SDGs.
Practical work in secondary science education is often organized through closed “cookbook” protocols that constrain students’ autonomy and limit the development of scientific thinking. This study examines the impact of two instructional approaches to a DNA extraction activity in Biology and Geology: A cookbook-style laboratory practice and an inquiry-based science education (IBSE) activity. A mixed-methods design was implemented, combining a pre–post-test component within each group with a comparison between two non-randomized cohorts of students in the 4th year of compulsory secondary education in Spain (n = 45). Academic performance was assessed through a multiple-choice test, self-perceived critical thinking and satisfaction were measured using validated questionnaires, and meaningful learning was explored through qualitative analysis of delayed open-ended responses. Both approaches led to improvements in immediate academic performance. However, only students in the inquiry-based condition showed evidence of deeper conceptual understanding, explicit references to the scientific method and a sustained perception of meaningful learning. These findings highlight the potential of IBSE-oriented laboratory work to foster not only scientific literacy and deep learning, but also transferable competences relevant for science-related vocational pathways.
While museums are increasingly recognized as key sites for Education for Sustainable Development, a significant gap persists between their environmental messaging and material practices. This paper addresses an overlooked dimension of museum pedagogy: The design of physical instructional materials. We argue that the prevalent use of single-use, resource-intensive science kits represents a missed opportunity to model sustainable science. This paper introduces ECO-INSTRUCT, a conceptual framework to guide the development of sustainable instructional materials. Derived from reflective practice at the National Science and Technology Museum, the framework is built on five core principles: Material Circularity and Regeneration, Low-Carbon and Localized Production, Design for Multi-functionality and Reusability, Design for Durability and Repairability, and Digital Integration for Dematerialization. We posit that instructional materials are not neutral but are value-laden artifacts that shape learners’ understanding of the nature of science. By embedding sustainability into the design process, educators can create tools that reduce their ecological footprint and enhance pedagogical practice by fostering key sustainability competencies such as systems thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness. This framework guides museums to pioneer a more responsible and philosophically coherent approach to science education.
