World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Science Education
H-index 19

Science Education

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 137 40 56 18

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 57
Documents by Best Scientists*: 68
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 1
SCIMAGO H-index: 142
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.367
Impact Factor: 3.4

Overview

Top Research Topics at Science Education?

Science Education focuses on Science education, Mathematics education, Pedagogy, Philosophy of science and Epistemology. The journal explores issues in Science education which can be linked to other research areas like Higher education, Educational research and Curriculum. Most of the Mathematics education studies addressed also intersect with Chemistry (relationship).

The journal focuses on Pedagogy research which is adjacent to topics in National Science Education Standards. The journal addresses concerns in Philosophy of science which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Context (language use) and Nature of Science. Outline of social science is a major topic of Science, technology, society and environment education research presented in the journal.

  • Science education (38.65%)
  • Mathematics education (33.61%)
  • Pedagogy (25.48%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change (4024 citations)
  • Establishing the norms of scientific argumentation in classrooms (1670 citations)
  • The Laboratory in Science Education: Foundations for the Twenty-First Century (1499 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Science Education:

The journal articles primarily tackle Science education, Mathematics education, Pedagogy, Teaching method and Epistemology. The journal publications with studies in Science education featured incorporate elements of Philosophy of science and Educational research. The journal papers focus on Mathematics education but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Higher education and Curriculum.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Epistemology

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Science Education mainly deals with areas of study such as Science education, Philosophy of science, Mathematics education, Epistemology and Linguistics. The work on Science education tackled in the journal brings together disciplines like Context (language use) and Engineering ethics. History general is a focus of the presented Philosophy of science works and it dives deep in History general.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • The trouble with STEAM and why we use it anyway (5 citations)
  • INSON QOMATINING TURLI KO’RINISH VA HOLATLARIDAN QISQA MUDDATLI TASVIRLARIDAN BAJARISH MYETODIKASI (5 citations)
  • Changing the field: A Bourdieusian analysis of educational practices that support equitable outcomes among minoritized youth on two informal science learning programs (5 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Science Education (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Greta Oppe (119 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Clarence M. Pruitt (88 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Roy V. Maneval (54 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Kostas Kampourakis (41 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Joseph D. Novak (35 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Science Education (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Michigan State University (107 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition,
  • Columbia University (103 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (90 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Georgia (79 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • University of Minnesota (76 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 77.13% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 7.14% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 5.10% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 15.31% of all publications and 72.45% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Opportunities in Science Education

Science education also offers diverse career opportunities in various fields. One such career is becoming a mental health counselor, which would require a different qualification and certification process depending on one's location. If your interest is keen on mental health counseling in the United States, the requirements would vary from state to state. For instance, the prerequisites to becoming a mental health counselor in Kentucky are different from those in other states.

To become a mental health counselor in Kentucky, you will need to fulfill several educational and licensure requirements. These include obtaining a recognized degree in a related field, completing a specified amount of clinical practice or internship, and passing the state's licensure examination.

If you are interested in learning more about how to become a mental health counselor in Kentucky, you can find all the requirements and necessary steps at Mental health counselor requirements in Kentucky. This page provides a detailed guide and resource that will support you on your journey towards achieving your career goals.

Science education opens up diverse opportunities for growth, and with the right information, you can make educated career decisions. Whether it is exploring topics, reading most cited papers, or understanding what the last journal edition is known for, stay aware of the changing landscapes and keep learning for a fulfilling career and consistent progression.

Top Publications

  • Science education in an age of misinformation

    (2023)
    100 Citations
  • Scientific modeling and translanguaging: A multilingual and multimodal approach to support science learning and engagement

    Ashlyn E. Pierson;Douglas B. Clark;Corey E. Brady

    (2021)
    96 Citations
  • High school students' situational engagement associated with scientific practices in designed science learning situations

    Janna Inkinen;Christopher Klager;Kalle Juuti;Barbara Schneider

    (2020)
    73 Citations
  • Impact of place-based socioscientific issues instruction on students' contextualization of socioscientific orientations

    Benjamin C. Herman;Mark H. Newton;Dana L. Zeidler

    (2021)
    56 Citations
  • Emotions in the doing of science: Exploring epistemic affect in elementary teachers' science research experiences

    Shannon G. Davidson;Lama Z. Jaber;Sherry A. Southerland

    (2020)
    54 Citations
  • Acting with epistemic agency: Characterizing student critique during argumentation discussions

    María González‐Howard;Katherine L. McNeill

    (2020)
    51 Citations
  • The effect of first high school science teacher's gender and gender matching on students' science identity in college

    Chen Chen;Gerhard Sonnert;Philip M. Sadler

    (2020)
    42 Citations
  • Examining the effect of early STEM experiences as a form of STEM capital and identity capital on STEM identity: A gender study

    Susie M. Cohen;Zahra Hazari;Jonathan Mahadeo;Gerhard Sonnert

    (2021)
    35 Citations
  • An Analysis of Science Instruction for the Science Practices: Examining Coherence across System Levels and Components in Current Systems of Science Education in K-8 Schools.

    Kevin Cherbow;Megan T. McKinley;Katherine L. McNeill;Rebecca Lowenhaupt

    (2020)
    33 Citations
  • Critical science agency and power hierarchies: Restructuring power within groups to address injustice beyond them

    Kathleen Schenkel;Angela Calabrese Barton

    (2020)
    32 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For students pursuing Social Sciences and Humanities, exploring related online degrees can open doors to diverse and rewarding careers. Specialized programs like nasp accredited school psychology programs provide rigorous training for those interested in supporting student mental health and development within educational settings.

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For those seeking a more straightforward path, the best easiest counseling degree programs highlight options that balance academic rigor with manageable coursework, ideal for learners who want an efficient transition into counseling careers.

Additionally, accelerated pathways like accelerated mft programs allow students to complete Marriage and Family Therapy degrees faster, enabling quicker entry into the workforce. Exploring these accredited and flexible online degrees helps students align their academic pursuits with their professional goals.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

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