Educational Background, Teaching Experience and Teachers’ Views on the Inclusion of Nature of Science in the Science Curriculum

Abstract

The aim of this research is to ascertain teachers’ opinions on what elements of nature of science (NOS) and science–technology–society relationships (STS) should be taught in school science. To this end an adapted version of the questionnaire developed by Osborne et al. is used. Our results show that experts consulted by Osborne et al. and Spanish teachers confer similar importance on the provisional, experimental, and predictive nature of scientific knowledge based on some of the procedures used such as the drawing up of hypotheses and the analysis and interpretation of data. We also look into the relationship between the teachers’ views and their educational background. ¹ Results suggest that philosophy teachers are more concerned with the inclusion of NOS and STS topics in science curricula than science teachers, although further studies will be necessary. Some suggestions concerning the university training of science teachers are also discussed.

Notes

1. In this article, Educational Background means the scientific training gained by teachers at university.

2. Although the main interest of this study is the NOS, I also interested by some aspects of STS, which we added to the questionnaire. Although I was aware of the difference between the two and their relation, from now I refer only to the NOS in the interests of brevity.

3. It is important to remember that when I refer to NOS, I do so in its widest sense including methods (processes) of the science and the nature of scientific knowledge. There are items in each dimension that on occasions refer to one or another of these aspects, so it is possible for the denomination of dimensions to appear inexact.

4. With a sample we feel is representative of the realities in Spanish classrooms.

5. Especially if the non‐existence of differences between scientists and science teachers is confirmed for their views of the NOS and its inclusion in school curricula.