Saudi Arabian secondary school students' understanding of scientific models and modeling

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate how female students in grade 10-grade 12 in Saudi secondary schools understand scientific models, while accounting for the broader Islamic context in which science learning occurs. This contribution seeks to deepen the understanding of how social and religious factors shape students’ scientific conceptions. Such a focus aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 (2016), which emphasizes advancing science education while preserving the cultural and religious dimensions that are integral to the local educational environment. A purposive sample of 400 female students from 12 schools in the Southern Province participated in the study. Adopting a descriptive quantitative approach, the students’ understanding of models in science questionnaire was administered between December 2024 and February 2025. Descriptive and inferential analyses revealed naïve and inaccurate conceptions among students in four of the five assessed dimensions: models as exact replicas of reality, multiple representations, the changing nature of models, and the uses of scientific models. In contrast, students demonstrated relatively higher understanding in only one dimension–models as explanatory tools. The findings further showed no statistically significant differences across grade levels, indicating that progression through the secondary stages does not, in itself, enhance students’ modeling knowledge. In light of these results, the study recommends strengthening teacher preparation and professional development programs, integrating explicit guidance within science curricula to support teachers’ use of scientific models, and promoting critical thinking about the relationship between science and religion. Additionally, the study calls for further research on actual classroom practices of scientific modeling and the design and evaluation of modeling-based instructional interventions.