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Research on the Development of Science Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science and Teaching Actions

Author: LiangYongPing
Tutor: LiBingDe;WangJiaYi
School: Northwest Normal University
Course: Curriculum and Pedagogy
Keywords: science teacher NOS teaching actions
CLC: G632.4
Type: PhD thesis
Year: 2006
Downloads: 1331
Quote: 23
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Abstract

The preparation of scientifically literate students is a perennial goal of science education. Furthermore, an adaquate understanding of nature of science (NOS) is a central componet of scientific literacy. Developing students’ undersdanding of NOS is defined as a goal of science education in The National Curriculum Standards for Science Education of our country. In order to develop students’ NOS views, teachers should have sophisticated understanding of NOS, and effectively implement corresponding instructional practice. This dissertation aims to answer two questions: (1)How are inservice teachers’ NOS views and teaching actions developed through school-based teaching research? (2)What effective methods can be used in developing NOS views and teaching actions of educational masters, who are full-time students for one year. In addition, this dissertation inquires into curricula factors, which influence teachers’ NOS views and teaching actions.The subjects were 6 elementary science teachers, the first group of 14 science educational masters and the second group of 21 science educational masters, who respectively enrolled in developing and improving practice activites or course study. The instruments modified and developed by the researcher were used to assess participants’ development on NOS views and teaching actions.To inquire into curricula factors, which influence teachers’ NOS views and teaching actions, the researcher analyzed the NOS goal in the curriculum sdandards, science textbooks, and "outstanding" sample teaching plans.Main Findings and conclusions of this dissertation are:1.Thers is positive effect on developing inservice teachers’ NOS views to carry out discussion on some topics, such as "Key aspects of NOS", "The cultural mission of China science education", "Explicit reflective teaching strategies of NOS", and instructional practice based on "experiencing design and example approved". However, if teachers do not think the content taught in deeper epistemology, their NOS views are difficult to reach a more informed level.2. The educational masters made substantial epistemological gains in their NOS views through "The course on NOS instrcution", which includes discussion on some topics, such as "Key aspects of NOS", "The cultural mission of China science education", "Reflective framework on NOS", "Influence of science teachers’ NOS views on science education", "Structured comparison between traditional NOS and contemporary NOS", "Explicit reflective teaching strategies of NOS". In additon, the course guides them to think epistemologically the content taught in WWHW thinking mode and to practice teaching designing directed by "Science teachers’ self-monitoring system on their teaching actions of NOS" and corresponding examples.3.Teachers’ practice in teaching NOS is positive in enriching their understanding of NOS.4.The prerequisite for teachers to adopt autonomously teaching actions of NOS is that they have realized the importance of NOS education. If a teacher does not recognize the importance and utility of teaching and learning about NOS, it is impossible for him to have corresponding teaching actions of NOS. Conversely, if a teacher recognizes the importance and utility of teaching and learning about NOS, he will positively probe into corresponding teaching actions of NOS.5.The teaching action of explicitly distinguishing between observation and inference is easily developed. A lot of science knowlegde is not directly accessible to the senses. If a teacher does not realize the distinction between observation and inference, it is impossible for he to explicitly teach the distinction. As a result, students cannot understand the content taught. Once a teacher recognizes the distinction, he is able to pay close attention to it and employ discourse over the distinction. Consequently, students may have a real understanding of the content taught.6. Inductive form teaching action of laws is easily developed. Scientific laws are induced from a lot of experimental facts. Once this inductive form of laws is explicitly emphasized, teachers are able to design corresponding teaching activities.7.The examples of NOS instruction are not substitutive in developing teachers’ teaching actions of NOS. The level of the examples affects the development in their teaching actions of NOS. It is found that lower level examples of NOS instruction hardly help teachers to reach higher level of teaching actions of NOS, and that higher level examples of NOS instruction may effectively help teachers to reach higher level of teaching actions of NOS.8.WWHW thinking mode may promote teachers’ epistemology, deepen their understanding of knowledge and NOS, and help them develop their teaching actions of NOS.9.Self-monitoring system of teaching actions of NOS may play an effective supervising role in developing teachers’ teaching actions of NOS.10. Although undersdanding of NOS is defined as a goal of science education in the science curriculum standards of our country, it is not explicitly touched in goal standard, content standard and implement proposals. It seems that the curriculum standards expresss one idea, learning scientific process and methods is equal to learning NOS. The science curriculum standards of our country still belong to traditional NOS paradigm. This kind of curriculum standards led to similar textbooks and "outstanding" examples and in turn necessarily influenced teachers’ NOS views and teaching actions.Suggestions are made for improving teachers education, developing science curriculum standards, restructing textbooks’ discourse of NOS, developing teaching examples and restructing teachers’ discourse of NOS.

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