A content analysis of science education research in preschool education

The aim of this study is to examine research conducted in the field of science education within preschool education. The study is qualitative research employing the document analysis method. In the process of identifying the data sources, criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods, was adopted. The data set consists of a total of 184 science education studies. According to the findings obtained from the analyses, science education-related at the national studies have increased over time in terms of descriptive characteristics. With respect to publication type, articles are more prevalent both nationally and internationally. In terms of author affiliations, early-career researchers in Türkiye more frequently appear as first authors, whereas professors are more prominent in international publications. Regarding citation counts, the national average in Türkiye is considerably lower than the international average. When examined in terms of content characteristics, teacher education, technology-supported education, and science achievement are the most emphasized topics in Türkiye, while technology-supported education, new approaches, and environmental education are more extensively studied internationally. Over time, a shift from traditional topics toward contemporary themes such as STEM, constructivist approaches, and digitalization has been observed in Türkiye, whereas this transition occurred earlier and more prominently in the international context. From a methodological perspective, quantitative research is more common in Türkiye, while qualitative research is more prevalent in international studies. Non-probability sampling is mostly preferred in Türkiye, whereas both probability and non-probability sampling are used at nearly equal rates internationally. Teachers constitute the primary sample group in Türkiye, while students are more frequently the focus of international studies. In terms of data collection tools, questionnaires and scales are predominantly used in Türkiye, whereas international publications rely more on qualitative instruments such as interview forms. Regarding data analysis, univariate analyses and content analysis are widely employed in Türkiye, while content and descriptive analyses, as well as theoretical studies, are more common in international publications. Accordingly, it is recommended that national research in the field of science education within preschool education align more closely with international trends in terms of content and methodological characteristics. Key Words: Preschool education, Science education, Document review, Content analysis