The Impact of Teaching Earth and Environmental Sciences Using the Socio-Scientific Issues Approach on Developing Decision-Making Skills and Enhancing Scientific Identity among Eleventh-Grade Female Students

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the effect of teaching Earth and Environmental Sciences using the socio-scientific issues approach on developing decision-making skills and enhancing scientific identity among eleventh-grade female students. The quasi-experimental approach was used to achieve this. The study sample consisted of (44) eleventh-grade female students from Qumra National Schools in Marka District, who were selected using the convenience method in the first semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. They were divided into two groups, one experimental (22 students) and the other control (22 students). The study instruments consisted of a decision-making skills test, consisting of (30) questions, and a scientific identity questionnaire, comprising of (36) items. The validity and reliability of both were verified. The results of the study showed that there were statistically significant differences between the responses of the experimental and control groups on the decision-making skills test, and the differences were in favor of the experimental group. The results also showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups on the scientific identity questionnaire, in the total score and in all sub-dimensions, in favor of the experimental group. Based on its findings, the study recommended adopting a socio-scientific approach to teaching Earth and Environmental Sciences as one of the main approaches to teaching scientific subjects.