Inquiry-based science teaching: teacher-related factors and associations with science academic achievement

Inquiry-based science teaching (IBST) is widely promoted as an important approach to supporting students’ science learning. Although student-centred inquiry has been emphasised in China's basic education reforms, empirical evidence concerning its implementation and its association with student outcomes in lower secondary science classrooms remains limited. This study examines factors associated with science teachers’ implementation of IBST and further investigates the associations among IBST, students’ science-related creative disposition, and science academic achievement. The analysis drew on a sample of 6744 science teachers and 27,774 Grade 8 students from 902 lower secondary schools in China. Regression analysis revealed that gender and age were weakly negatively associated with IBST, whereas professional identity and school satisfaction were positively associated with its implementation. Differences were also observed across science subjects. Furthermore, multilevel analysis showed that, at the between-school level, IBST was positively associated with average science academic achievement. Science-related creative disposition partially mediated this association and was also positively associated with achievement at the student level. The findings extend understanding of the conditions associated with IBST implementation and highlight science-related creative disposition as a potential mediator of the IBST–achievement association in Chinese lower secondary education.