The Relationship between Students’ Views of the Nature of Science and their Views of the Nature of Scientific Measurement

The present study explores the relationship between students’ views of the nature of science (NOS) and their views of the nature of scientific measurement. A questionnaire with two‐tier diagnostic multiple‐choice items on both the NOS and measurement was administered to 179 first‐year physics students with diverse school experiences. Students’ views on the NOS were classified into four NOS ‘profiles’, and views on measurement were classified according to either the point or set paradigms. The findings show that students with a NOS profile dominated by a belief that the laws of nature are to be discovered by scientists are more likely to have a view of the nature of scientific measurement characterised by a belief in ‘true’ values. On the other hand, students who believe that scientific theories are inventions of scientists, constructed from observations that are then validated through further experimentation, are more likely to have a view of the nature of scientific measurement that is underpinned by the uncertain nature of scientific evidence. The implications for teaching scientific measurement at tertiary level are discussed.     

Diagnosing Students’ Understanding of the Nature of Models

Students’ understanding of models in science has been subject to a number of investigations. The instruments the researchers used are suitable for educational research but, due to their complexity, cannot be employed directly by teachers. This article presents forced choice (FC) tasks, which, assembled as a diagnostic instrument, are supposed to measure students’ understanding of the nature of models efficiently, while being sensitive enough to detect differences between individuals. In order to evaluate if the diagnostic instrument is suitable for its intended use, we propose an approach that complies with the demand to integrate students’ responses to the tasks into the validation process. Evidence for validity was gathered based on relations to other variables and on students’ response processes. Students’ understanding of the nature of models was assessed using three methods: FC tasks, open-ended tasks and interviews (N?=?448). Furthermore, concurrent think-aloud protocols (N?=?30) were performed. The results suggest that the method and the age of the students have an effect on their understanding of the nature of models. A good understanding of the FC tasks as well as a convergence in the findings across the three methods was documented for grades eleven and twelve. This indicates that teachers can use the diagnostic instrument for an efficient and, at the same time, valid diagnosis for this group. Finally, the findings of this article may provide a possible explanation for alternative findings from previous studies as a result of specific methods that were used.     

Design of a student lab program for nanoscience and technology – an intervention study on students’ perceptions of the Nature of Science,the Nature of Scientists and the Nature of Scientific Inquiry

Background: This article describes the design and the evaluation of a student lab program on the topic of nanoscience and technology (NST), mainly focusing on Nanoscience and its applications. The program was designed for students in grades 8–10 and was part of a larger outreach program of the Collaborative Research Center ‘Function by Switching’ at Kiel University. The Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) served as a framework for the research-based design of the student lab.

Purpose: We aimed to develop an authentic science activity in the area of NST in order to support scientific inquiry learning and to provide a deeper understanding of scientific topics.

Sample: A total of 154 secondary school students from grades 8–10 of seven different secondary schools participated in this study.

Design and methods: A pre-post questionnaire with six subscales on students’ perceptions of the Nature of Science (NOS), Scientific Inquiry (NOSI) and the involved scientists (NOST) in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology was applied.

Results: Results show that the applied explicit and reflective approach embedded in the nanoscience content significantly improved the participating students’ perceptions of NOS, NOSI and NOST facets. After the lab visit, students’ answers corresponded to a more adequate perception of today’s science and scientists. Some gender differences in learning gains were also detected.

Conclusion: The study served its main purpose which was to investigate a well-balanced strategy to develop authentic out-of-school-learning environments with a focus on NOS/NOSI/NOST. Testing students’ perceptions of the nature of nanoscience provided insights into students’ worlds and served as feedback for the lab program. The outcomes of this study might help to better understand and further develop authentic (nano)science programs in out-of-school settings and science outreach programs.     

Turkish Pupils’ Conceptions of the Particulate Nature of Matter

The purpose of this research study is to explore year 6, 8 & 11 (13, 15 and 17 years old respectively) Turkish pupils’ views about the particulate nature of matter within the context of phase changes. About 300 pupils participated in the study. Questionnaires distributed to year 6, 8 and 11 pupils included 6-item open-ended questions about (a) arrangement and movement of particles in a solid, liquid and gas and (b) application of particulate ideas to explain phase changes. In addition to questionnaires, semi-structured interviews were carried out with pupils. Results indicated that many pupils, even older ones, had difficulties in applying the particulate theory to explain phase changes despite science teaching. The study has several implications for both teachers and curriculum designers.

Chinese Secondary School Science Teachers’ Understanding of the Nature of Science—Emerging from Their Views of Nature

The findings reported in this paper report on an investigation of Chinese people’s understanding of the nature of science in relation to their conceptualisations of Nature. As an exploratory and interpretive study, it uses semi-structured interviews with 25 Chinese secondary school science teachers. The paper first presents these teachers’ conceptualisations of Nature, which were mainly scientifically informed and showed a mixed influence of both traditional and modern Chinese ideas about Nature. Teachers’ functional understandings of the nature of science were then inferred from their conceptualisations of Nature and presented from three perspectives: that of science; the strategies and approaches to doing science; and, the status of scientific knowledge.     

Nature of the Indonesia–United States education relationship

This article discusses the nature of the education relationship between Indonesia and the US. The article examines two hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that transnational education constitutes a new type of imperialism by perpetuating knowledge dependency and financial dependency through the transfer of knowledge and foreign aid in education. Of particular interest will be the themes of ‘knowledge dependency’ and ‘financial dependency’. In contrast to the first hypothesis, the second holds that transnational education advances learning about and from other states, and has the potential to improve relationships, and promote international understanding. This article concludes that although the one-way transfer of knowledge from, and dependence on, foreign experts is evident, the Indonesian government has attempted to reduce dependence on foreign countries, whether that reliance was on knowledge or on finance. Although the Indonesia–US education relationship is politically motivated towards serving the interests of each, most respondents believed that any US political agendas were unacceptable. The experiences of both Indonesian and American respondents show that the relationship enhances and improves understanding between Indonesia and the US through academic exchanges and scientific and research links.     

On the Nature and Role of English in Asia

The present paper is divided into eight sections:introduction,the global diffusion of English,perceptions of the new varieties,the issue of intelligibility,features that cause unintelligibility,need for a broader pragmatics,and pedagogical impli- cations,and conclusion,followed by the references.Not surprisingly,the global spread of English has generated varying perspec- tives on the nature and functions of its acculturated varieties.Broadly speaking,the debate has divided scholars into two camps holding diametrically opposing views on the multiple versions of English.On the one hand,some scholars view variations as symp- toms of linguistic degeneration and deterioration;on the other hand,some scholars legitimize them as inevitable manifestations ne- cessitated by the demands of the new cultural contexts.The normative view of the former camp stems,at least partly,from the problems the new forms of English pose in terms of international intelligibility.It is in this context that the paper examines the traditional,one-sided,native speaker-centred idea of intelligibility and the recent two-sided view of intelligibility that places the onus on both the native speaker and the non-native speaker.The argument of the latter camp is based on the premise that the new varieties require a broader pragmatic framework,because universal pragmatics is inadequate to describe them satisfactorily. Thus,the camp advocates a need for a language specific pragmatics,and a comparative pragmatics,in addition to the traditional universal pragmatics.Logically,the debate on phonological,lexical,grammatical,and discourse structure variations,and their le- gitimacy has prompted English language teaching specialists to have a fresh look at the goals and objectives of teaching English in the countries of the outer and expanding circles,and accordingly prioritize the teaching of national and regional varieties over that of the so-called native varieties.Thus,the paradigms of independence and centrality of the new varieties are replacing the paradigms of their dependence and marginality.     

On the Nature and Role of English in Asia

Smith and Nelson （1985）, cited in Taylor （2003）, distinguish between intelligibility, comprehensibility, and interpretability. For them intelligibility has to do with word or utterance recognition, comprehensibility with word or utterance meaning, and interpretability with illocutionary force.     

Sixth-Grade Students’ Views of the Nature of Engineering and Images of Engineers

This study investigated the views of the nature of engineering held by 6th-grade students to provide a baseline upon which activities or curriculum materials might be developed to introduce middle-school students to the work of engineers and the process of engineering design. A phenomenographic framework was used to guide the analysis of data collected from: (1) a series of 20 semi-structured interviews with 6th-grade students, (2) drawings created by these students of “an engineer or engineers at work” that were discussed during the interviews, and (3) field notes collected by the researchers during the interviews. The 6th-grade students tended to believe that engineers were individuals who make or build products, although some students understood the role of engineers in the design or planning of products, and, to a lesser extent in testing products to ensure that they “work” and/or are safe to use. The combination of drawings of “engineers or engineering at work” and individual interviews provided more insight into the students’ views of the nature of engineering than either source of data would have offered on its own. Analysis of the data suggested that the students’ concepts of engineers and engineering were fragile, or unstable, and likely to change within the time frame of the interview.     

The ‘Nature of Science’ and the Perils of Epistemic Relativism

Research in Science Education - There is an increasing demand in the field of science education for the incorporation of philosophical and sociological aspects that are related to the scientific...     

Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of the Nature of Science and Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment

This study investigated prospective elementary teachers’ understandings of the nature of science and explored associations with their guided-inquiry science learning environment. Over 500 female students completed the Nature of Scientific Knowledge Survey (NSKS), although only four scales were analyzed–Creative, Testable, Amoral, and Unified. The learning environment was assessed using previously-validated and reliable scales from What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) and the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI). Analyses indicated moderate multiple correlations that were statistically significant (p?<?0.01) between Creative (R?=?0.22), Testable (R?=?0.29), and Unified (R?=?0.27), and a positive learning environment. Regression coefficients revealed that Open-Endedness was a significant independent predictor of students’ understanding of the role of creativity in science (β?=?0.16), while Cooperation, Open-Endedness, and Material Environment were linked with understanding the testable nature of science (β?=?0.10–0.12). Interview questions probed possible relationships between an improved understanding of the nature of science and elements of a positive classroom environment. Responses suggested that an appropriate level of open-endedness during investigations was very important as this helped students grapple with abstract nature of science concepts and shift their conceptions closer to a more realistic view of scientific practice.     

How Do University Students Perceive the Nature of Science?

Science & Education - The paper presents an empirical study on university students’ perceptions of nature of science (NOS). NOS is framed in terms of the cognitive, epistemic, and...     

The Wonders of Nature

The starfish is an amazing creature. It is able to detach1 from itself at least one of its five arms2 when confronted3 by a predator4. By doing so, the starfish lets the attacker5 take that discarded6 part. It then has better chances of escaping and surviving.     

Nature,the Source of William Wordsworth’s Inspiration

William Wordsworth has been considered a great Romantic poet in English literature.His thoughts and poems have been researched by literary critics from different aspects.This paper argues that nature is the source of his inspiration by analyzing the background of the poet’s life and his famous poems.     

The Nature of the Gift: Accountability and the Professor‐Student Relationship

In this paper I introduce the theory of gift giving as a possible means to reconcile the contradictions inherent in accountability measures of ‘faculty productivity’ in the American university. In this paper I sketch the theory of gift economies to show how, given the historical ideals that characterize the faculty‐student relationship, a theory of gift giving could help us better judge the labor of the faculty. I suggest that it is the relational character of teaching that frustrates accountability measures and that perhaps if viewed as a gift economy—and in particular an economy with ‘reproductive’ ends—we could better grasp the effectiveness of these relationships.     

Preservice Teachers‘ Classroom Practice and Their Conceptions of the Nature of Science

The present article describes research carried out in Badajoz (Spain) with student teachers of Primary and Secondary science education. The preservice teachers conceptions of the nature of science were analyzeda and compared with their classroom practice when teaching a science lesson. The results indicated that there was no correspondence between the conceptions of the nature of science and the classroom practice. The implications of the research for science teacher education are dealt with.     

Impact of Chinese Culture on Pre-service Science Teachers’ Views of the Nature of Science

This study examines Chinese pre-service teachers’ (N?=?30) views on the nature of science (NOS) and how Chinese culture influences their views. Participants were from two teachers’ universities in eastern China. As an exploratory and interpretive study, a scenario-based interview approach was adopted. The results indicated that the participants held unique views about the five key aspects of NOS. Many participants have alternative and contemporary views of NOS, but few possess classical views. In fact, teachers adopted features of the Confucian Doctrine of the Mean either consciously or unconsciously to account for their views of NOS. This research reflects that the Doctrine of the Mean affected Chinese teachers’ views of NOS, making them rather deficient in their understandings of classical NOS. Based on empirical data, it is argued that science teacher training in China should focus on the content and objectives of classical NOS, rather than just teaching contemporary views of NOS. Taking Chinese culture into consideration, science teacher education in China cannot entirely import the strategies of teaching the classical views of NOS from the developed world, but should develop, design and contextualize local strategies that are suitable for the training of Chinese science teachers. Some issues for further investigation of learners’ views of NOS in non-Western contexts are suggested as implications from this study.     

Students’ Reasoning about the Future of Disturbed or Protected Ecosystems & the Idea of the ‘Balance of Nature’

This paper is part of a larger study that aims at highlighting students’ interpretations of the idea of the ‘Balance of Nature’, as well as its use in their reasoning about the future of an ecosystem, in order to subsequently develop a learning environment that might promote a reconsideration of its validity and usefulness. Our focus here is particularly set on whether and how non biology-major students use this idea when making predictions about (a) the future of an ecosystem that is supposed to have suffered a human-driven disturbance, and (b) the future of an ecosystem that is supposed to be protected against such disturbances. Administering a questionnaire of 12 items - 4 of which concern us here - to 61 1st-year educational sciences students at the University of Patras, we traced - among others - their reasoning about (a) the future of three ecosystems (forest, sea, lake), supposed to have suffered different human-driven disturbances (fire, oil spill, new population introduction), and (b) the future of a protected forest ecosystem of a national park. According to our findings, most of the students found it very likely for a disturbed ecosystem to fully recover its initial state - mainly due to a ‘recovery process’ or inherent ‘recovery mechanisms’ - showing a strong belief in an extremely resilient ‘Balance of Nature’. Moreover, most of them appeared to believe that if human-protected, an ecosystem will be in a continuous ‘balance’, while very few were skeptical enough to claim a non-predictable future for it.     

Reflections on “Science Teaching and the Nature of Science”

Science &; Education -     

On the Hypothetico-Deductive Nature of Science—Darwin’s Finches

Allchin (2006) has misinterpreted a classic case of hypothetico-deductive (HD) science in terms of his preferred ‘let’s-gather-some-data-and-see-what-emerges’ view. The misrepresentation concerns the research program of Peter and Rosemary Grant on Darwin’s finches. The present essay argues that the Grants’ research is HD in nature and includes a statement by Peter Grant to that effect.

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