TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring prospective teachers' worldviews and conceptions of nature of science
AU - Liu, Shiang Yao
AU - Lederman, Norman G.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported in part by the National Science Council, Taiwan, ROC, under grant NSC 94-2511-S-017-007. The authors would like to express their gratitude to Professor William W. Cobern for his insightful suggestions on an early version of this paper.
PY - 2007/8
Y1 - 2007/8
N2 - This study explores the relationship, if any, between an individual's culturally based worldviews and conceptions of nature of science. In addition, the implications of this relationship (or lack of relationship) for science teaching and learning are discussed. Participants were 54 Taiwanese prospective science teachers. Their conceptions of nature of science and their worldviews specific to humans' relationship with the natural world were assessed using two open-ended questionnaires in conjunction with follow-up interviews. Their understandings of nature of science were classified into informed and naïve categories based upon contemporary views of these constructs and those stressed in international reform documents. An anthropocentric-naturecentric continuum emerged and is used to explain the participants' views about humans' relationship with Nature. Participants who recognized the limitations of scientific knowledge, and accept the idea that science involves subjective and cultural components, were more likely to emphasize harmony with Nature. In contrast, participants who possessed narrow views about the scientific enterprise and described science as close to technology and as of materialistic benefit tended to provide an anthropocentric perspective regarding the human-Nature relationships. The findings illustrate the interplay between participants' sociocultural beliefs and conceptions of nature of science. Concisely, people with different worldviews may have concurrently different views about nature of science. The study suggests the need for incorporating sociocultural perspectives and nature of science in the science curriculum.
AB - This study explores the relationship, if any, between an individual's culturally based worldviews and conceptions of nature of science. In addition, the implications of this relationship (or lack of relationship) for science teaching and learning are discussed. Participants were 54 Taiwanese prospective science teachers. Their conceptions of nature of science and their worldviews specific to humans' relationship with the natural world were assessed using two open-ended questionnaires in conjunction with follow-up interviews. Their understandings of nature of science were classified into informed and naïve categories based upon contemporary views of these constructs and those stressed in international reform documents. An anthropocentric-naturecentric continuum emerged and is used to explain the participants' views about humans' relationship with Nature. Participants who recognized the limitations of scientific knowledge, and accept the idea that science involves subjective and cultural components, were more likely to emphasize harmony with Nature. In contrast, participants who possessed narrow views about the scientific enterprise and described science as close to technology and as of materialistic benefit tended to provide an anthropocentric perspective regarding the human-Nature relationships. The findings illustrate the interplay between participants' sociocultural beliefs and conceptions of nature of science. Concisely, people with different worldviews may have concurrently different views about nature of science. The study suggests the need for incorporating sociocultural perspectives and nature of science in the science curriculum.
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U2 - 10.1080/09500690601140019
DO - 10.1080/09500690601140019
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34447296714
SN - 0950-0693
VL - 29
SP - 1281
EP - 1307
JO - International Journal of Science Education
JF - International Journal of Science Education
IS - 10
ER -