Profiles of teachers built on cognitive-activation teaching strategies and its effect on student’s outcomes in TIMSS 2019

This study examines cognitive-activation teaching profiles among science teachers using TIMSS 2019 data from 14 countries, adopting a person-centred approach to instructional diversity. Through latent class analysis, four distinct teacher profiles are identified, All-Around Teachers, Balanced-Interactive Teachers, Discussion-Oriented Traditionalists, and Low-Engagement Experimentalists, each reflecting unique combinations of general and inquiry-related cognitive-activation practices. These profiles vary across countries, highlighting the role of national contexts in shaping instruction. Multilevel analyses show context-dependent associations with science achievement: Low-Engagement Experimentalists are often linked to lower outcomes, All-Around Teachers linked to higher achievement in Middle-Eastern countries, and Discussion-Oriented Traditionalists showing advantages in Anglo countries. While mapping TIMSS items onto teaching frameworks involves conceptual and methodological constraints, the findings offer insight into the diverse ways cognitive-activation strategies are enacted in classrooms. The study contributes to discussions on teaching quality by offering context-sensitive implications for teacher professional development and policy aimed at enhancing science education globally. • Identifies four profiles of cognitive-activation teaching practices. • Distinguishes general and science-specific inquiry-related practices. • Based on teacher-reported TIMSS 2019 data from 14 countries. • Applies multigroup latent class analysis. • Finds context-specific associations with student science achievement.