Examination of the relationship between the innovative thinking levels of secondary school students and their science learning self-efficacy beliefs

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine middle school students' innovative thinking levels and self-efficacy beliefs towards science learning in terms of demographic characteristics of students and to determine the relationship between students' innovative thinking levels and self-efficacy beliefs towards science learning. Material and Method: As one of quantitative research methods relational survey model was used in the study. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 646 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students studying in middle schools of different socio-economic levels in Efeler district of Aydın province in the 2022-2023 academic year. In order to collect data from the students, "Innovative Thinking Scale for Secondary School Students", "Self-efficacy Belief Scale for Learning Science" and "Personal Information Form" were applied. Results: Results showed statistically significant differences in terms of gender, grade level, socio-economic status, and parental education status of middle school students. A moderate positive relationship was found between middle school students' innovative thinking levels and their self-efficacy belief scores towards science learning. Conclusion: In this research, it is thought that raising individuals with the characteristics needed for the requirements of the age, raising individuals with entrepreneurial and innovative thinking skills who can think curious, creative, open to self-renewal and communicate well with their environment, creating learning environments that will increase their innovative thinking levels and self-efficacy beliefs, giving more space to the concept of innovation in education and training programs will increase students' innovative thinking levels, their self-efficacy towards learning science and accordingly their success in science courses. Keywords: Innovative thinking, science self-efficacy belief, middle school students.