<![CDATA[This study aimed to develop Socratic Science Cards (SSC) based on the Inquiry Social Complexity (ISC) approach and examine their validity, practicality, and potential to improve elementary students’ scientific literacy on ecosystem balance. The research employed Research and Development (R&D) using the ADDIE model, followed by a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest–posttest control-group design with pre-existing intact classes. Development involved six expert validators specializing in instructional content, language, and instructional-media design. Content and construct validity were assessed using Aiken’s V, while practicality was evaluated through teacher and student questionnaires. Scientific literacy improvement was analyzed descriptively using Normalized Gain (N-Gain) and inferentially using an independent-samples t-test of posttest scores. Validation demonstrated high validity, with an overall mean Aiken’s V of 0.873. Practicality assessments indicated very high classroom usability, with a mean score of 87.50%. In the field trial, the experimental group achieved a high average N-Gain of 0.762, compared with 0.283 for the control group, categorized as low. The independent-samples t-test showed no statistically significant baseline difference at pretest (t(48) = 1.980, p = 0.053), whereas a statistically significant posttest difference was observed (t(48) = 3.521, p = 0.001). These findings indicate that SSC implementation was associated with statistically significant improvement in scientific literacy within the study context. Integrating Socratic questioning into the ISC collaborative framework provides a structured dialogic scaffold that supports conceptual understanding, scientific reasoning, and reflective engagement with environmental issues while encouraging active participation and meaningful discussion during collaborative science learning and inquiry processes.]]>
