The effects of socioscientific issue-based education on science teachers’ cognitive structures, affective tendencies and scientific thinking habits

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Socioscientific Issue–Based Education (SSI-Edu) on science teachers’ cognitive structures, affective tendencies, and scientific thinking habits. A single-group pretest–posttest design was employed with 11 in-service science teachers who participated in a seven-week training program. The findings indicated that SSI-Edu contributed to the development of teachers’ cognitive structures, as reflected in increased scientifically accurate responses and reduced misconceptions. Regarding affective tendencies, statistically significant improvements were found in self-efficacy and pedagogical content knowledge, while no significant changes were observed in attitude and perceived usefulness. In contrast, no statistically significant effect was found for scientific thinking habits, although slight increases in posttest scores were observed. Overall, the findings provide preliminary evidence that SSI-based professional development may support certain dimensions of teachers’ professional competencies.