Differences in Innovation Factors in Science and Mathematics Teachers in CSE

Abstract

Innovation has become a key element in schools in order to improve teaching professional development and to facilitate a quality teaching-learning process for all. There are many aspects that condition innovation, among which the field or branch of knowledge to which the teachers belong stands out. Knowing the factors that condition innovation seems to be a necessary point to introduce and develop feasible improvements in schools. For these reasons, the main aim of this research was to analyze the innovation factors that influenced Science and Mathematics teachers at Compulsory Secondary Education according to some key variables. A study based on a survey was developed. The Teaching Innovation Factors Questionnaire was administered to 1.440 teachers from all of Spain who participated in the survey. The initial results showed that there were significant differences between the Science and the Mathematics teachers according to the variables analyzed in three of the teaching innovation factors: institutional participation, psycho-pedagogical openness, and teaching planning. It can be concluded that teachers’ gender, age and professional experience, along with the type of school, its size and scope of action are essential elements that have a clear impact on teaching innovation.