scholarly journals Reintroducing “the” Scientific Method to Introduce Scientific Inquiry in Schools?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Emden
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
School Science ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
Authentic Inquiry ◽  
Education Needs ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
Current Science

AbstractThere are some crucial critiques on scientific inquiry and “the” Scientific Method in current science education. Recent research literature is replete with arguments against inquiry’s legitimacy to be included in science classes, and it has even been abandoned from the Next Generation Science Standards. Critics of scientific inquiry in schools blame it to be a caricature of authentic inquiry suffering from five shortcomings: (1) knowledge becomes desocialized from its generative contexts, (2) scientific inquiry in schools suggests methodological monism favoring (3) a primacy of experimentation, (4) which portrays scientific inquiry as a knowledge automaton (5) raising an illusion of determination with regard to the generation of knowledge. This article argues for a reorientation of scientific inquiry in schools tentatively embracing “the” Scientific Method anew since critics appear not to sufficiently consider that scientific inquiry operates differently in schools from science. It will be shown that most critiques can be defused when untangling such an illegitimate mix-up of science proper with school science. It will be argued that current (and recent) descriptions of how science generates knowledge lack authoritative validity and should be fundamentally revisited. “The” Scientific Method will be shown to be a valid idealization that can serve as a frame of reference for introductory science classes. Still, it is understood that science education needs to extend beyond “the” Scientific Method if it is to prepare for science-related careers.

scholarly journals The environment and politics in science education: the case of teaching fracking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynda Dunlop ◽  
Lucy Atkinson ◽  
Maria Turkenburg-van Diepen
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Young People ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
School Science ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
High School Science ◽  
Illustrative Case

AbstractHydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’), like other complex social and environmental issues, is a controversy about science which raises educational questions about how best to prepare young people to understand, respond to and, where necessary, act (or not) in response. It raises political questions. We present a state-of-the-art review of research literature on fracking and education using systematic strategies, with a view to finding out how it is framed in educational situations and how politics enters the science classroom. This serves as an illustrative case of how contested scientific and technological interventions with implications for the environment and society are treated in school science. The review is supplemented by interviews with 10 teachers of science and engineering working in schools or colleges near sites of operational exploratory fracking. We find that the research literature on teaching hydraulic fracturing is sparse, with only 25 studies relating to teaching and learning about fracking. Few studies (n = 7) relate to high school education. Where it features in science education, fracking is used as a context for interdisciplinarity and critical thinking, and lends itself to approaches using discussion, dialogue and modelling. Outcomes from fracking education range include knowledge gains and critical thinking. Teachers interviewed tended not to see a place for fracking in the curriculum or in the classroom and were averse to including politics in upper high school science education. Our analysis suggests depoliticization through absence of this specific complex environmental issue from the public (education) sphere, reinforced by the desire for ‘balance’ in high school science education and instrumental approaches to science education which prioritize assessed learning outcomes. Dealing with complex social and environmental issues such as hydraulic fracturing in the years of compulsory science schooling is necessary because scientific knowledge is necessary but not sufficient to prepare young people for the critical scientific literacy required to meet sustainable development goals. There is a need to assess and respond to the educational needs of local communities affected by industrial interventions such as fracking. These findings are likely to be relatable to other issues where there are local and global consequences of action or inaction and where the environment and health are pitted against economic and energy demands.

scholarly journals COMPARATIVE RESEARCH ON THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF NATURE OF SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY BETWEEN SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM SHANGHAI AND CHICAGO

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108
Author(s):  
Jingying Wang ◽  
Ying Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Science Inquiry ◽  
School Science ◽  
High School Science ◽  
K 12

Nature of science is considered to be an important component of scientific literacy, and understanding the nature of science is advocated as an important goal of science education. Scientific inquiry is regarded as the core of curriculum reform, which has become the consensus of the international K-12 science education, as well as a scientific direction for which educators have been striving over the last century. To compare the views of nature of science and scientific inquiry of teachers between China and United States, 90 high school science teachers from Shanghai and Chicago are chosen to do open-ended questionnaires and interviews. By conducting the sequential mixed method and using the empirical investigations of VNOS-D and VOSI-S, their different understandings mainly perform in the specific aspects of nature of science and scientific inquiry, cognitive stages, types and relationships etc. Overall, the level of American teachers’ views of nature of science and science inquiry are better than Chinese. Finally, some suggestions on Chinese science teachers’ education are proposed. Key words: epistemological belief in science, nature of science, scientific inquiry.

scholarly journals SCIENCE EDUCATION IN ITALY: CRITICAL AND DESIRABLE ASPECTS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-696
Author(s):  
Virginia Brianzoni ◽  
Liberato Cardellini
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Science ◽  
School Students ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Intellectual Skills ◽  
Current Science

Science teaching plays an important role in the contemporary society, but nowadays, many high school students are often not interested in school science. The purpose of the study was to enhance the quality of teaching and to encourage learners to study science, making student learning more effective and meaningful. The opinions of different stakeholders was taken into account. In Italy, almost 200 participants, counting both teachers and students, answered a questionnaire concerning the following aspects of teaching and learning: situations, contexts, motives; basic concepts and topics; scientific fields and perspectives; qualification; methodical aspects. The results obtained showed the priorities and main gaps in current science education. In particular, scientific literacy should be essentially based on three concepts: the development of communication skills, the improvement of intellectual skills and the development of personality. Unfortunately the study has also highlighted that the approaches judged more effective are not really common in the current educational panorama. Key words: inquiry-based science, learning environment, PROFILES project, science education.

scholarly journals Analysis of candidate teachers’ opinions on how to benefit from history of science in science education according to decision-making strategiesÖğretmen adaylarının fen eğitiminde bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanılacağına yönelik görüşlerinin karar verme stratejilerine göre incelenmesi

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 4831
Author(s):  
Şebnem Kandil İngeç ◽  
Mustafa Erdemir ◽  
Kamile Tekfidan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Science Education ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
School Science ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
History Of ◽  
Primary School Science ◽  
Science Classes

This study aims to determine candidate science teachers’ opinions on how to utilize history of science and whether their opinions display difference in terms of decision-making strategy variables and also to develop recommendations by means of acquired data. The research is a descriptive research based on screening model. Study group consists of 105 candidate teachers who are studying in Primary School Science Teaching Department.“Decision-making styles” four (4) point likert scale and five point likert type “how to benefit from History of Science in Science classes” five (5) point likert scale were used in order to obtain data. The findings shows that candidate teachers stated that they agree on use of History of Science in science classes with an average of 3,96±0,47. In their decision making strategies, they expressed that made logical decisions by 2,84±0,48, impulsive decisions by 2,56±0,41, dependent decisions by 2,25±0,32 and indecisive decisions by 2,35±0,50.A significant relation was found between candidate teachers’ opinions on utilizing History of Science in Science classes and their decision making strategies. It was observed that there is a relation between candidates’ situation of decision making and positive contribution of History of Science in classes in terms of conceptual and processual dimension. It was seen that opinions of candidates on utilizing History of Science in science education do not change depending on their decision making strategies. ÖzetÇalışmanın amacı, fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanacaklarına ilişkin görüşlerinin karar verme strateji değişkeni açısından farklılık gösterip göstermediğini belirlemektir. Araştırma tarama modeline dayalı betimsel bir çalışmadır. Çalışma grubu grubu Matematik ve Fen Bilimleri Eğitimi Bölümü Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenliği Ana Bilim dalında öğrenim gören 105 öğretmen adayından oluşmaktadır.Verilerin elde edilmesinde “karar verme stratejileri” dörtlü (4) likert ölçeği ve “fen derslerinde bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanılır” beşli (5) likert ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğretmen adayları fen derslerinde bilim tarihinin kullanılmasına 3.96±0.47 ortalama ile katıldıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Karar verme stratejilerinde 2.84±0.48 mantıksal, 2.56±0.41 ile içtepisel, 2.25±0.32 bağımlı ve 2.35±0.50 kararsız karar verdiklerini belirtmişlerdir.Fen Bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının mantıklı karar verme stratejilerini kullanma düzeyleri ile bilim tarihinden kavramsal ve süreçsel anlamada yararlanmaya yönelik görüşleri arasında düşük düzeyde, pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca öğretmen adaylarının fen eğitiminde bilim tarihinden yararlanmaya yönelik görüşlerinin karar verme stratejilerine bağlı olarak farklılaşmadığı tespit edilmiştir.

scholarly journals Negotiating the relevance of laboratory work: Safety, procedures and accuracy brought to the fore in science education

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Lundin ◽  
Mats Lindahl
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
School Science ◽  
Work Safety ◽  
Laboratory Practice ◽  
Video Observations ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
Safety Procedures ◽  
Science Activities

This text addresses the problem of the discrepancy between teachers’ and students’ positions in negotiations about the authenticity and legitimacy of school science activities. The study focuses on the apparent conflicts concerning legitimacy and authenticity when teachers and students bring attention to safety, authenticity and accuracy during issues laboratory activities. The analysed data are excerpts made from video observations in two science classes. Analysis was made using epistemological moves describing how teachers and students make their activities relevant. The result indicates that in the classroom conversation about laboratory practice, teachers sometimes draw the attention to safety, procedures and accuracy to legitimize the activity and how they try to control it. Negotiations concerning the legitimacy and authenticity of activities seem inevitable. Unless understandable agreements are reached, the negotiations jeopardize a successful understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS). Misunderstanding of the authenticity of activities contributes to a reduction of their legitimacy, and undermining teaching of context independent knowledge.

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