Making learning last: teachers’ long-term retention of improved nature of science conceptions and instructional rationales

ABSTRACT

Despite successful attempts to improve learners’ nature of science (NOS) conceptions through explicit, reflective approaches, retention of improved conceptions is rarely addressed in research. The issue of context for NOS instruction has implications for this retention. Whether to contextualise has been the question occupying science educators’ attention. We think this question is misplaced. Instead, we build upon recent research addressing a context continuum – drawing on the strengths of both contextualised and noncontextualised NOS instruction – to improve retention. Although there are many different potential contexts for NOS instruction, this investigation focuses on science content as context. The present investigation focused on long-term retention of improved NOS conceptions and rationales for NOS instruction. Participants were all 25 teachers who completed a professional development programme (PDP) utilising a mixed contextualisation approach to NOS instruction. We classified teachers’ NOS conceptions into three levels of understanding using the Views of the Nature of Science Form-C responses and interviews three times over the year: pre-, post-, and 10-month delayed post-PDP. Results indicated that initially participants held many alternative NOS conceptions. Post-instruction, responses were substantially improved across all NOS concepts. Furthermore, nearly all of the participants’ conceptions were retained across the academic year following the PDP. Participants offered varied rationales for NOS instruction including its potential to improve students’ scientific literacy, perceptions of the relevance of science, improve positive risk-taking, and increase tolerance for differences. These results contrast favourably with previous reports of the retention of improvements in NOS conceptions over time.

KEYWORDS:

• Nature of science
• conceptual change
• teacher education-inservice
• professional development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Bridget K. Mulvey, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Science Education in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. She researches teaching and learning about the nature of science and scientific inquiry as well as technology-enhanced science teaching and learning.

Randy L. Bell, Ph.D., is Associate Dean of Academics and Professor of Science Education in the College of Education at Oregon State University. Dr. Bells research and development activities focus on teaching and learning about the nature of science and scientific inquiry, as well as finding effectives ways to use educational technologies in science teaching.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by federal funds distributed by State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's Improving Teacher Quality Grant Program.