Novel Insights into Experimental Sciences Education Research: Mapping Metacognition, Digital Competence, Science Self-Efficacy, Attitudes, and Anxiety Through Structural Equations

Evidence regarding the relationships among metacognitive awareness, teacher digital competence, science teaching self-efficacy, attitudes toward science, and experimental science anxiety remains limited. The aim of this study was to examine, through a structural equation model, the relationships among metacognitive awareness, teacher digital competence, science teaching self-efficacy, attitudes toward science, and experimental science anxiety, with particular attention to the association between metacognitive awareness and experimental science anxiety in pre-service teachers. The sample comprised 325 undergraduate pre-service teachers enrolled in bachelor’s degree programmes in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Jaén. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with robust maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrap procedures. The results indicated that metacognitive awareness and teacher digital competence were positively associated with science teaching self-efficacy, which was the strongest predictor of attitudes toward science, explaining 30.1% of their variance. Metacognitive awareness was negatively associated with experimental science anxiety (β = −0.217, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses indicated significant indirect associations through science teaching self-efficacy. In conclusion, the present study may inform the design of initial teacher education programs through the integration of metacognitive awareness, teacher digital competence, and active learning methodologies to strengthen scientific literacy and quality education in experimental science teaching.