Preliminary communication
Aspects of Nature of Science in Modern Teaching of Physics
Antonio Svedružić
; Elementary School "Ljudevit Gaj", Zaprešić, Croatia
Abstract
Primary goal of modern science education is achievement of scientific literacy. Educational standards of science worldwide (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996) are emphasizing understanding of nature of science (NOS) as necessary factor for development of scientific literacy. Nevertheless educational researches often reveal lack of adequate epistemological notion of science and scientific inquire (SI) among both students and future science teachers. This paper presents an alternative to functional understanding of nature of scientific knowledge – an educational constructivism with elements of nature of science which are explicitly introduced in research-oriented teaching of physics. That kind of approach is compared with a traditional paradigm of teaching and learning of science. Understanding of basic aspects of nature of science is measured: variability of scientific knowledge, difference between first reception and final conclusion, social and culture impact, myth of scientific method, creativity and imagination in science undertaking, science theory and science principle, subjectivity and objectivity in science, before and after submission to different approaches to teaching of physics. Results of a pretest show existence of misconceptions in all aspects of nature of science (≥66%). Positive effect on understanding of nature of science according to constructive and explicit assessment on posttest in experimental group is expressed more than in traditional (control) group. This research has shown: (a) existence of a typical epistemological misconceptions of science, (b) slightly considerable efficiency of modern constructive-oriented teaching on understanding of nature of science, and (c) some methodological features of aspects of nature of science measurement.
Keywords
constructive-oriented teaching; nature of science; traditional teaching; scientific research
Hrčak ID:
51755
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2010.
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