Publication: Embedding nature of science in teaching about astronomy and space
Issued Date
2012-06
Resource Type
Language
eng
ISSN
1573-1839
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
Springer Science+Business Media
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Science Education and Technology. Vol.21, No.(2012), 353-369
Suggested Citation
Khajornsak Buaraphan, ขจรศักดิ์ บัวระพันธ์ Embedding nature of science in teaching about astronomy and space. Journal of Science Education and Technology. Vol.21, No.(2012), 353-369. doi:10.1007/s10956-011-9329-9 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/3388
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Title
Embedding nature of science in teaching about astronomy and space
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Abstract
Science teachers need an adequate understanding of nature of science (NOS) and the ability to
embed NOS in their teaching. This collective case study
aims to explore in-service science teachers’ conceptions of
NOS and the embeddedness of NOS in their teaching about
astronomy and space. Three science teachers participated
in this study. All participants attended the NOS workshop
based on an explicit-reflective approach. They were asked
to respond to the Myths of Science Questionnaire on three
different occasions, i.e., at the beginning and the end of the
NOS workshop and a semester after the workshop. Classroom observation, interviews after teaching, and a collection of related documents were also employed to collect
data. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative
method. The results revealed two important assertions.
First, science teachers’ conceptions of NOS are stable
and resistant to change. However, an explicit-reflective
approach employed in the NOS workshop, to some extent,
promoted science teachers’ understanding and reasoning
about NOS. Second, science teachers’ conceptions of NOS
are not directly related to their classroom practices. With
different degrees of NOS understanding, all participants
taught NOS implicitly and missed most of the opportunities
to address aspects of NOS embedded in the topics they
taught. The implications of these findings are also
discussed.
Sponsorship
Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute (KURDI)