Article
Education & Educational Research
Sarah Voss, Isaiah Kent-Schneider, Jerrid Kruse, Ren Daemicke
Summary: This study explored the development of instructional views on nature of science (NOS) concepts among preservice secondary science teachers during a semester-long NOS course. The findings revealed that teachers' instructional views progressed from utilizing inaccurate methods to incorporating accurate implicit messages, and finally to explicit reflective instruction. Additionally, teachers shifted from treating NOS as a separate topic to adopting an embedded approach in their teaching.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Gurol Irzik, Robert Nola
Summary: The family resemblance approach to nature of science has gained increasing attention and has been applied in various areas of science education, such as curriculum analysis, teacher training, and STEM education. This article aims to further develop the approach by clarifying its foundations, expanding the structure of science as a social institution, exploring the family resemblance characteristics of observation and experimentation, and discussing its connection with the consensus view.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Jennifer C. Parrish, Jacob Pleasants, Joshua W. Reid, Bridget K. Mulvey, Erin E. Peters-Burton, Abigail Recker
Summary: Due to the emphasis on engineering in K-12 science education in the USA, it is important for teachers to have a deeper understanding of the nature of engineering (NOE) and its relationship with science. This study used card sort epistemic network analysis (cENA) to test the understanding of NOE among 52 preservice elementary teachers. The findings indicated a shift in their understanding towards more expert-like views, including an emphasis on the application of science in engineering. This suggests that cENA may be a valuable tool for capturing changes in students' understanding of NOE.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Kristina Fricke, Bianca Reinisch
Summary: Studies indicate that representations of the nature of science in school science textbooks are often implicit and inadequate. However, the consensus list framework used in these studies to analyze NOS representations has been criticized for lacking differentiation and adequacy. The family resemblance approach shows potential in providing differentiated insights into the appropriateness of NOS representations without specifying philosophical directions.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Bianca Reinisch, Kristina Fricke
Summary: Previous research found insufficient coverage of nature of science (NOS) in science textbooks. However, this may be due to the NOS frameworks used for analysis, which have not accounted for the variability in scientific disciplines. This study used a family resemblance approach (FRA) to analyze German biology textbooks and found that it was a suitable mechanism for evaluating NOS coverage. The findings showed a greater emphasis on cognitive-epistemic systems than social-institutional systems in the textbooks.
Review
Education & Educational Research
Kason Ka Ching Cheung, Sibel Erduran
Summary: This paper presents the findings of a systematic review on the use of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) in science education. The research reveals a growing number of empirical studies that have utilized FRA and its broad coverage in science education. While the social-institutional system categories showed weaker intraconnections, the cognitive-epistemic system categories exhibited strong links within themselves.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Antonio Garcia-Carmona
Summary: The study analyzed the efficacy of a reading activity on improving the understanding of science methods for preservice primary teachers. The activity involved reading opinion articles, reflecting and discussing in small groups, and sharing responses in class. The results showed an improvement in the teachers' understanding of various aspects of science methods.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Elena Novak, Ilker Soyturk, Shannon L. Navy
Summary: Science teaching anxiety is a negative emotion that hinders a teacher's ability to effectively teach science. Despite limited research in this area, the development of a valid and reliable tool to measure science teaching anxiety is crucial. This study introduces the Science Teaching Anxiety Scale (STAS), which shows promising validity and reliability in assessing science teaching anxiety among preservice elementary teachers. Additionally, the study highlights the significant predictive role of science teaching anxiety and science interest in teaching self-efficacy among preservice elementary teachers.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Jen-Yi Wu, Sibel Erduran
Summary: In this paper, the authors use the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) framework to examine scientists' views on the nature of science (NOS). The study finds that scientists' perspectives align with the FRA account of NOS, although they tend to underrepresent the social-institutional aspects.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Adam Al Sultan, Harvey Henson, Duane Lickteig
Summary: This study assesses the conceptual understanding of scientific literacy among preservice elementary teachers, revealing the need for improvement in their knowledge of the nature of science while also showing adequate understanding of the relationship among science, technology, and society. Teachers play a crucial role in achieving the goal of a scientifically literate society.
TEACHING AND TEACHER EDUCATION
(2021)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Sevgi Aydin-Guenbatar, Gillian H. Roehrig
Summary: This paper analyzes the integration of engineering into science teaching with the release of Framework for K-12 Science Education and Next Generation Science Standards. The emphasis is on the need for teachers to incorporate engineering practices and nature of engineering into their practice. By adopting Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophical work and utilizing the family resemblance approach, this study aims to characterize and understand the nature of engineering. It provides a comprehensive theoretical justification of the construct by exploring the cognitive, epistemic, and social-institutional aspects of engineering for K-12 students.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Cansel Kadioglu-Akbulut, Ayla Cetin-Dindar, Burcin Acar-Sesen, Sevda Kuecuek
Summary: Designing effective and efficient learning environments by integrating recent educational technologies into the teaching process has been an important goal of education for two decades. However, previous studies showed that a higher level of technology knowledge does not guarantee the development of TPACK. This study aims to investigate the prediction of preservice science teachers' TPACK by ICT usage categories.
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Sara Satanassi, Laura Branchetti, Paola Fantini, Rachele Casarotto, Martina Caramaschi, Eleonora Barelli, Olivia Levrini
Summary: This study investigates the potential of the family resemblance approach (FRA) in elaborating on disciplinary identities in an interdisciplinary context, particularly in relation to the interplay between physics and mathematics. The combination of the FRA with the framework of boundary objects and boundary crossing mechanisms proves effective in fostering productive discussions among prospective teachers on disciplinary identities and interdisciplinarity in historical cases.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Fulya Zorlu, Yusuf Zorlu
Summary: This study investigated the analogical reasoning skills of preservice science teachers. The findings revealed that teachers struggle to fully comprehend and utilize resources, as well as establish relationships between the source and target. There was a lack of knowledge regarding the types and application methods of analogical reasoning among preservice science teachers. However, their thinking skills seemed to have developed in the area of analogical reasoning, and there were suggestions for expert training and exemplary activity practices.
THINKING SKILLS AND CREATIVITY
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Cristina Cobo, Ana-Maria Abril, Marta Romero-Ariza
Summary: Teachers play a key role in supporting the understanding of epistemological and social aspects affecting scientific knowledge, but often hold inappropriate views hindering students' scientific literacy. This study developed an innovative intervention to improve teachers' understanding and found positive effects on epistemological and sociological aspects even five-and-a-half months after completion. These results are important for addressing the need for further studies on retention of NOS instruction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Jessica Chan, Sibel Erduran
Summary: Teachers' understanding and teaching of argumentation is receiving more attention in science education research. This paper reports an empirical study on the collaboration between science and religious education teachers in three secondary schools in England. Through sustained interdisciplinary collaboration, the science teachers experienced notable changes in their understanding of argumentation and views on teaching their subject. The study sheds light on the importance of researching argumentation in a cross-curricular terrain and how collaborating with teachers of another subject can enhance professional development and break subject barriers for science teachers.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Alison Cullinane, Judith Hillier, Ann Childs, Sibel Erduran
Summary: This article introduces a framework for classifying different scientific methods and presents findings from a study on teachers' perceptions of this framework. The study suggests that the framework is appealing to teachers and has potential benefits for science education.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Alison Cullinane, Sibel Erduran
Summary: Understanding Nature of Science (NOS) is crucial for enhancing scientific literacy, and it is now increasingly integrated into science curricula worldwide. This study focuses on developing pre-service teachers' understanding of NOS, particularly in the context of curriculum reform in the Republic of Ireland. By using the Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science as the theoretical framework, workshops were designed to assist pre-service teachers in comprehending NOS. The findings from case studies reveal how pre-service teachers navigate the concepts presented in NOS workshops and translate their understanding into lesson preparation, highlighting the implications for pre-service teacher education during curricular reform.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION
(2023)
Review
Education & Educational Research
Kason Ka Ching Cheung, Sibel Erduran
Summary: This paper presents the findings of a systematic review on the use of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) in science education. The research reveals a growing number of empirical studies that have utilized FRA and its broad coverage in science education. While the social-institutional system categories showed weaker intraconnections, the cognitive-epistemic system categories exhibited strong links within themselves.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Majken Korsager, Kirsten Fiskum, Berit Reitan, Sibel Erduran
Summary: The aim of this study is to explore how the cognitive and epistemic aspects of nature of science (NOS) are addressed in Norwegian science textbooks for vocational studies. The results show that NOS were almost absent in the tasks of all textbooks.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Rachel A. Takriti, Sibel Erduran, Hassan Tairab, Ebru Kaya, Najwa Alhosani, Lutfieh Rabbani, Iman Alamirah
Summary: This paper reports the development of a measure for assessing teachers' understanding of nature of science in Arabic language through translation and validation. It is important to have assessment tools available in Arabic to facilitate research and evidence-based training in this area.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Miri Barak, Tamar Ginzburg, Sibel Erduran
Summary: This article reviews current studies on engineering education in schools and the integration of engineering into the science curriculum, providing a framework for guiding teaching and learning about engineering, as well as the theoretical and practical relationships between science and engineering.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Wonyong Park, Sibel Erduran, Jinwoong Song, Minchul Kim
Summary: While many curriculum reforms acknowledge the importance of incorporating history of science (HOS) in science teaching, there is limited research on teachers' experiences in planning HOS-based science lessons. This study examines two groups of preservice science teachers who collaboratively planned high school science lessons using HOS. The findings highlight design issues related to selecting and adapting history, teaching open-ended topics, balancing science and history, and empathizing with historical figures. The collaborative planning experience helped the teachers understand the limitations of content-focused pedagogical methods and the diverse ways in which HOS can enhance science teaching.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Tamar Ginzburg, Miri Barak
Summary: The use of technology, such as digital sensors and data recorders, can increase elementary school students' engagement in science learning. This study aimed to examine the motivation to learn science of elementary school students from different countries and cultural backgrounds, as well as identify the association between technology-enhanced science learning and students' motivation. The results highlight the importance of seamlessly embedding technology to support cross-cultural learning of scientific practices.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
H. -Y. Chan, K. K. C. Cheung, S. Erduran
Summary: This study examines the relationship between human mobility and the salience of nature of science (NOS) in UK news media. The findings suggest that the content of NOS in news media is associated with changes in human mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to recreational activities and grocery shopping.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Lindsay Schofield, Rachel Takriti, Lutfieh Rabbani, Iman AlAmirah, Olga Ioannidou, Najwa Alhosani, Hala Elhoweris, Sibel Erduran
Summary: Research shows that teachers' lacking understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS) can impact their instructional decisions and students' understanding. This study investigated UAE early years' science teachers' perceptions of NOS. Results from a questionnaire revealed that teachers have adequate understanding in many aspects of science and NOS, but varied perceptions were found on key concepts such as bias, scientific practices, and politics' influence. Misconceptions regarding NOS were also identified. The findings have implications for teaching and suggest a need for further research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Kason Ka Ching Cheung, Ho-Yin Chan, Sibel Erduran
Summary: News media plays a crucial role in communicating scientific evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but newspapers have been criticized for focusing on the socio-political aspects of science without explaining the nature of scientific work behind government decisions. This study examines how different British newspapers covered aspects of science during the pandemic, and found that left-populated and centralist outlets had stronger connections between political factors, professional activities of scientists, and scientific practices. However, a left-populated newspaper, the Guardian, showed inconsistency in representing different aspects of scientific work throughout the public health crisis, which may lead to a lack of trust in scientific knowledge among the public.
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Hassan Tairab, Rachel Takriti, Lutfieh Rabbani, Iman Alamirah, Najwa Alhosani, Sibel Erduran
Summary: This study investigates the representation of the Nature of Science (NOS) in the science curriculum documents for kindergarten in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The findings suggest that while the curriculum emphasizes scientific methods and knowledge, there is a lack of focus on social-institutional aspects of NOS. The study recommends incorporating a more holistic representation of NOS in the UAE science standards.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE MATHEMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
(2023)
