Identification and Interpretation: A Framework of Naturalistic Epistemology Perceived by Korean Pre-Service Science Teachers

Abstract

The epistemology of science and teachers' perspectives on it have been major lines of investigation in science education research. The role that epistemology should play in science education has become increasingly relevant because of its incorporation within some important curriculum reform movements around the world. Improving teachers' perspectives and designing advanced teaching-learning sequences along them have been substantial parts of the science education reform. Such efforts are having been active when a new epistemological position emerged. The present inquiry has been conducted at the interface of these two lines of research. The main focus of the study is analyzing the way Korean pre-service teachers interpret epistemological aspects of scientific knowledge. A questionnaire to explore pre-service teachers' epistemological beliefs was developed for developing frameworks of naturalized epistemology. The questionnaire is composed of items using Likert scale and open-ended items. Two groups of pre-service teachers participated in this exploration: in an elementary teacher education universities and a secondary science teacher education university. Epistemological beliefs of prospective elementary teachers were identified through qualitative analysis of the answers to the open ended questions as well. Suggestions for curricula change and teaching-learning strategies being involved in the incorporation of scientific epistemology are considered.