Transforming Understanding of Scientific Inquiry: The Impact of a Year-Long Explicit-Reflective Intervention on Greek Preservice Primary Teachers

Abstract Understanding the Nature of Scientific Inquiry (NOSI) is essential for developing scientifically literate citizens and for preparing teachers to foster authentic science learning in classrooms. However, research consistently shows that both students and educators often hold fragmented or naïve views about how science operates. This study investigates the development of Greek pre-service primary teachers’ understandings of the NOSI through an explicit and reflective inquiry-based instructional intervention spanning two academic semesters. Using the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) questionnaire, pre- and post-intervention data were collected from 28 pre-service primary teachers to examine their conceptual views across eight NOSI aspects. Initial results indicated a predominance of naïve or mixed views for all aspects. Following the intervention, substantial gains were observed across all aspects. These findings suggest that targeted, explicit-reflective instruction can enhance pre-service primary teachers’ scientific reasoning and epistemological awareness, equipping them to promote authentic inquiry in future classrooms. Implications for teacher education, curriculum design, and the integration of NOSI in primary science education are discussed, along with limitations related to assessment timing and instructional continuity.