Factors affecting the formation of views of nature of science: A mixed-methods study

ABSTRACT

Background

The views of the nature of science (VNOS) is one of the important goals of science education. According to information processing constructivism, learners’ psychological factors that may influence VNOS include scientific argumentation (SA), metacognition (MC) and epistemic beliefs (EB).

Purpose

This mixed-methods study aims to analyse the effects of SA, MC and EB on the formation of VNOS.

Sample

Three hundred and twenty-seven undergraduates majoring in chemistry education participated in this study. They came from three normal universities in China, each with 78, 119 and 110 participants, respectively.

Design and Methods

MC, EB and VNOS scales and SA test were used to collect data. Structural equation model (SEM, N = 327) was used to reveal linear relationships. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA, N = 78) was used to reveal set relationships.

Results

SEM shows that SA and EB directly affect VNOS, with SA also having a mediating effect, and MC plays an indirect role through EB. FsQCA shows that a high-level SA is a sufficient and necessary condition for a high VNOS, and a low-level SA or ‘a low-level MC combined with a low-level EB’ are possible configurations for a low VNOS.

Conclusion

In the formation of VONS, SA plays a key role, and the combination of MC and EB plays a supporting role. Therefore, two simple ways to cultivate VNOS and suggestions are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Views of nature of science
• scientific argumentation
• metacognition
• epistemic beliefs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. It can also be regarded as ‘proposition’.

2. A necessary condition is one that must be present when the outcome occurs but does not achieve the outcome on its own. For instance, obtaining a high school diploma is a necessary condition for the admission to college. The diploma must be present to achieve the outcome (getting admission to college), but it is not enough on its own. A sufficient condition is a condition that when present ensures that the outcome will occur, although it may be one of many conditions that produce the outcome. So, getting admission to college can occur when a high school student’s score reaches the admission line of the college or become a national athlete, or read in a junior college and then pass the upgrading exam. Each of these can independently result in the outcome (getting admission to college), so each of them is the sufficient condition.

3. Consistency can be understood as the possibility that causal conditions (or configurations of some causal conditions) can cause the outcome. For example, after a college entrance examination score reaches the admission line, it is almost guaranteed to be admitted. Therefore, the consistency will be close to 1.0. Coverage is an assessment of the way the respective terms of the minimal formulas ‘cover’ observed cases. For example, the vast majority of students are admitted to universities through reaching the score line in the college entrance examination, so the coverage of this situation is very high; Only a small number of students are admitted to universities by becoming a national-level athlete, so the coverage of this situation is low.

4. It can also be expressed in the specific language of set theory: (1) enhance, refers to increase the membership of learners in Vnos set, and (2) remedy, refers to decrease the membership of learners in ~Vnos set.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Social Science Fund the 14th Five-year Plan General Education Project “Construction of a system of assessment indices for scientific literacy of primary and secondary school students: with the purpose of the cultivation of top innovative talents” [grant No. HBA 210153].