A Practical Guide to Meta-Synthesis Method for Identifying Professional Competencies of Teachers in Teaching Nature of Science

Qualitative meta-synthesis is a new interpretive integration of qualitative findings that provide coherent descriptions or explanations of phenomena, events, or concepts. Considering the increasing rate of qualitative research, such interpretive synthesis is vital to provide a cohesive vision or a new theory with putting all scattered research together. Therefore, in the present study, the practical guide to the methodology, principles, steps, and other details of the meta-synthesis are explained using the six steps of meta-synthesis presented by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). Along with each step of the methodological description, the process of presenting a model for the professional competencies of teachers in teaching the nature of science with reviewing 50 articles is also provided as an example for clarifying the methodology. The model suggests that teachers should have knowledge, skills, and attitudes competencies to be able to teach nature of science properly. This article can be used as a guideline by researchers who want to offer a comprehensive model of existing studies in their field of interest.