scholarly journals Nature of Science (NOS) Being Acquainted with Science of Science (SoS): Providing a Panoramic Picture of Sciences to Embody NOS for Pre-Service Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Ismo T. Koponen
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Science Of Science ◽  
Structure And Dynamics

Understanding about nature of science is important topic in science education as well as in pre-service science teacher education. In science education, Nature of Science (NOS), in its different forms of educational scaffoldings, seeks to provide with students an understanding of features of scientific knowledge and science in general, how scientific knowledge changes and becomes accepted, and what factors guide scientific activities. For a science teacher, deep and broad enough picture of sciences is therefore of importance. This study attempts to show that the research field called Science of Science (SoS) can significantly support building such a panoramic picture of sciences, and through that, significantly support NOS. The SoS approaches the structure and dynamics of science quantitatively, using scientific documents (e.g., publications, reports, books and monographs and patent applications) as trails to map the landscape of sciences. It is argued here that SoS may provide material and interesting cases for NOS, and in so doing enrich NOS in a similarly significant way as history, philosophy and sociology of science (HPSS) scholarship has done thus far. This study introduces several themes based on SoS that are of relevance for NOS as they were introduced and discussed in a pre-service science teachers’ course. The feedback from pre-service teachers shows that introducing SoS, with minimal additional philosophical interpretations and discussions, but simply as evidential facts and findings, sparks ideas and views that come very close to NOS themes and topics. Discussions related to nature of science, and specific educational NOS scaffoldings for it, can find a good companion in SoS; the latter providing facts and evidence of thee structure and dynamics of sciences, the former providing perspectives for interpretations.

Exploring Pre-service Science Teachers’ Perspectives on the Nature of Science: A Comparative Study Between China and Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 209653112096678
Author(s):  
Guihua Zhang ◽  
Yuanrong Li ◽  
George Zhou ◽  
Sonia Wai-Ying Ho
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Behaviors ◽  
Preservice Science Teachers

Purpose: The Nature of Science (NOS) is an important component of scientific literacy. Science teachers’ Views of the Nature of Science (VNOS) directly affect their teaching behaviors. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore science teachers’ VNOS and find ways of improvement. This study was designed to comparatively investigate preservice science teachers’ VNOS between China and Canada. Design/Approach/Methods: The study employed a survey design to explore how Chinese and Canadian preservice science teachers understood the seven different aspects of NOS. Findings: Data showed that preservice science teachers in China and Canada both hold a modern view about science education. The level of Chinese and Canadian participants’ understanding of NOS was above the relatively naive level. Chinese teachers had better macro-understanding toward science education but their micro-mastery was insufficient. While the Canadian participants had a better understanding of the NOS than their Chinese counterparts. Originality/Value: Based on the research results and the experience of science education and teacher education in Canada, we suggested that there is a need to reconstruct the preservice science teacher education curriculum in China and promote the transformation in the science teacher educational system.

scholarly journals VIEWS OF A GROUP OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS ON THE USE OF EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE TEACHING

2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 525-534
Author(s):  
Elaine A. Colagrande ◽  
Simone Alves de Assis Martorano ◽  
Agnaldo Arroio
Keyword(s):  
Science Teacher ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Course Work ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Science Teacher Training ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Science Classes

Teachers often consider experimental activities to be fundamental to the teaching of scientific concepts. However, there are different views about their purpose in science classes; these views are linked to teachers' different understandings of the construction of scientific knowledge. It was analyzed the views of 19 pre-service science teachers (PST) on the use of experimental activities in science classes. These PSTs were enrolled in the subject of science teacher training course of a Brazilian federal university. In their course work, the PSTS were organized into groups and they participated in a pedagogical activity during which they reported their views on two experimental scripts. They answered questions about how they would use these experiments in the future. The activity occurred in two stages: the first was before studying texts on the nature of science with an emphasis on the role of experimentation in the foundation of hypotheses; the second stage was after this. The data analysis was performed using the content analysis technique. The results suggest the importance of debates and deep themes in training courses for science teachers, so that experimental activities are not seen reductively and only as ways to motivate classes or to complement theory, but rather as potential aids in the construction of scientific meaning. Keywords: experimental activities, nature of science, teacher education.

scholarly journals An Argument for Reversing the Bases of Science Education - A Phenomenological Alternative to Cognitionism

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Dahlin ◽  
Edvin Østergaard ◽  
Aksel Hugo
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Scientific Models ◽  
Practice Of Science

This paper is a phenomenological critique of some of the basic notions informing much of the researchin and practice of science education (SE) today. It is suggested that the philosophical grounds of S Eare in need of three “reversals of primacy”: the ontological primacy of the perceptual lifeworld must replace that of abstract scientific models; the epistemological primacy of attentive practice must replace that of conceptual cognition; and the pedagogical primacy of cultivating competencies must replace that of imparting ready-made knowledge. Four arguments for a phenomenological approach to SE are presented and some consequences for the training of science teachers are discussed; some of which are already being implemented at the science teacher education of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

scholarly journals Building Community in Triads Involved in Science Teacher Education: An Innovative Professional Development Model

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Service Science ◽  
The Impact

This article describes a pre-service and in-service science teacher joint professional development pilot project. It is intended to strengthen the community and facilitate professional growth for triad members involved in the professional development of pre-service science teachers. Through a summer workshop and follow-up monthly meetings, this project connected the clinical experiences of the pre-service teachers with the joint professional development of both the pre- and in-service teachers. A mixed-methods research design was used to investigate the impact of this project. Results indicated that this model was successful in aligning with characteristics of effective professional development derived from national standards documents and professional development literature. Additionally, through engaging pre- and in-service teachers in the co-creation of modules, which were subsequently enacted in classrooms, collaborative positioning occurred whereby the pre- and in-service teachers were found more equally sharing and co-negotiating responsibilities in the classroom. This article describes the need for this project and provides an in-depth description of each component of the project enacted, as well as additional findings supportive of its effectiveness.

scholarly journals Spanish Science Teacher Educators’ Preparation, Experiences, and Views About Nature of Science in Science Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio García-Carmona
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Experience Teaching ◽  
Spanish Science ◽  
Implicit Approach ◽  
Science Teacher Educators

AbstractThe obstacles and difficulties that science teachers face when teaching the nature of science (NOS) are well-known. Nonetheless, little is known of what science teacher educators (STEs) know, do, and think about this issue. Thus, a study with 142 Spanish STEs was conducted. This was aimed at analysing (i) what preparation the STEs have to teach NOS, (ii) what educational experience they have about NOS, (iii) what importance they give to NOS in their training plans, (iv) when NOS should be taught, (v) how to integrate NOS in science education, (vi) how to teach NOS, (vii) what to teach about NOS, and (viii) the influences interconnecting the STEs’ preparation, experience, and opinions regarding NOS teaching. Among the results, it was found that most STEs state that they have ample knowledge of NOS, are well prepared pedagogically to teach it, and have extensive experience in teaching it. However, there was some mismatch between their stated preparation and their experience teaching NOS. In addition, they think that NOS should be taught from early ages and be treated as cross-cutting content in science education. They also consider that, when teaching NOS, an implicit approach is just as effective as an explicit-reflective one. As for their selection of NOS content to include, they are fundamentally divided into two groups — those who select only epistemic aspects of NOS and those who select a balanced proportion of both epistemic and non-epistemic aspects. The limitations of the study are reported along with the issues that require further research.

scholarly journals Views of Trainee Science Teachers in Kuwait Regarding the NoS Dimensions and Their Conception of Creativity in Science Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ahmad Shallal Alshammari ◽  
Hamed Jassim Alsahou ◽  
Joza M Alshemmari
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Science Education Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Trainee Teachers ◽  
Science Educators

Science educators are often advised to pay attention to trainee teachers’ views on issues related to education, particularly the nature of science (NoS). Views on the NoS can be translated into pedagogical practices and then transferred to students; therefore, teachers should hold informed views about the NoS. This study sought to explore the views of trainee science teachers in Kuwait about the NoS and its aspects or dimensions. It also aimed to identify the possible connections among the NoS dimensions and teachers’ views on creativity in science. This multi-method study involved 152 trainee science teachers. The research instruments consisted of a questionnaire about teachers’ views of the nature of science (VNoS), a questionnaire about teachers’ views of creativity in science education, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that trainee science teachers hold naïve and sometimes perplexing views of the NoS dimensions, and they are more likely to follow a traditional positivist worldview when they discuss the nature of scientific knowledge. Also, the findings revealed trainee teachers’ views of creativity in science education as well as significant correlations among six NoS dimensions and creativity. Detailed findings are discussed to draw conclusions and address possible suggestions for science educators and for the community of science education research.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Views of the Nature of STEM

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-366
Author(s):  
Chatree Faikhamta ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
The Impact

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education plays an important role in teaching and learning for the 21st century. Science teacher education is making great efforts to prepare STEM teachers for modern classroom practice and enable them to adapt their STEM knowledge and practices to the needs of students’ contexts. However, before developing STEM teaching practices, it is important for pre-service teachers to understand the “nature of STEM” (NOSTEM). This study explored pre-service teachers’ views of the NOSTEM from both individual and integrative perspectives. The sample consisted of 428 Thai pre-service science teachers who were enrolled in science teacher-education programs. A NOSTEM questionnaire comprising Likert-type items and open-ended questions was used as a research tool. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers had inadequate understandings of NOSTEM definitions, epistemological perspectives, and the impact of culture and society on each STEM discipline. Each STEM discipline has its own characteristics, but the disciplines are similar in terms of their usefulness, processes, and required knowledge. In terms of the integration of STEM, technology uses the application of science, mathematical knowledge, and engineering processes to create tools and utensils. This paper discusses the implications of this study for science teacher-education programs and developing STEM teachers.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Conceptions of the Nature of Science and Its Relationship to Classroom Practice

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 131-144
Author(s):  
Katherine Pilongo Caga-anan ◽  
John Mitchell O’Toole
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Research Process ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Teachers And Students

There are significant tensions regarding relative international educational effectiveness. In the science education field, such concerns churn around the extent of scientific understanding with which students leave school. There have been suggestions that this aspect of science literacy is related to how well teachers help students to understand the nature of science. Previous research indicates the existence of both naïve and sophisticated views of this among both teachers and students. However, little research exists regarding Filipino students preparing to teach science in a local and international fluid context, particularly how their views of the nature of science relate to their classroom teaching practices. It was the purpose of this qualitative study involving seven pre-service science teachers from a single institution in Mindanao, Republic of the Philippines, to better understand the relationship of teacher views of the nature of science and the way that they taught science during their final teaching practice. Data was gathered through non-participant class observations, documents, interviews, and survey analysis. Findings reveal that: (a) These pre-service science teachers hold a mixture of naïve and sophisticated views of the nature of science; (b) Their views of science as empirically based (a potentially sophisticated view), subject to strict method and producing absolute knowledge (naïve views) transferred into their planning and delivery of practice lessons to a minor but discernible extent; (c) The views of science emerging from interview and survey were more varied and more sophisticated than appeared from the lessons planned or observed. The implications of this study are significant because they support some indications in the literature that wider teacher conceptions can translate into practice. This suggests that change in the conceptions held by these teachers might lead to change in the experiences they offer to students in their classes. The research process piloted in this small study could be scaled up to make a useful contribution to science education as the nation for which it was contexted moves into a period of rapid curriculum change.

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