Investigating the Nature Of Science: An Empirical Report on the Teacher Development Program in Thailand

Veena Prachagool ,Prasart Nuangchalerm

doi:10.15294/jpii.v8i1.17275

Abstract

Nature of Science (NOS) is a basic of understandings how science concerns human lives and social development. If the nature of science is a loss in science education and its implementation, the concept of science learning is failed in science education philosophy. Preservice teachers are initial key factors to introduce and implement NOS for those students. This study investigates understandings of nature of the science of preservice science teachers from bachelor study in science education program. Participants are 121 preservice science teachers who enrolled in the second semester in the academic year 2017 from a university in the northeast of Thailand. Questionnaires via Google Forms were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and qualitative data were provided. Data were analyzed and grouped by level of understandings of NOS. A correlation was also studied for testing different understandings. The findings indicated their understandings to meet the goal of science education, understandings need to embed NOS in curriculum and instruction. Some understandings of participants seem to be not understandable. It needs more discussion and explorations for future enhancement of understandings of NOS through the teacher preparation program.

Highlights

Science concerns our lives in such ways of working and living; plays an essential role in our society based on reliable knowledge and productive procedures
The questionnaires adopted the Likert 4 scaling (Highly agree (HA), Agree (A), Disagree (DA), and Highly disagree (HDA)) with an open-ended question used as the research tools
Scientific knowledge can be changed if additional evidence can explain much more than the prior knowledge

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Science concerns our lives in such ways of working and living; plays an essential role in our society based on reliable knowledge and productive procedures. The process of science in emerging scientific knowledge has generated us to have productive elements, influence on technological and social movements (Kind, 2016). It leads students to have knowledge and understanding in science upon a requirement of personal decision making, participation in cultures, and scientific attitudes (Widowati et al, 2017). They can predict, observe, describe, explain, discuss natural phenomena, and evaluate the quality of information by its source. These skills are beneficial to generate knowledge to enhance suitable attributes in all sectors of the community and social responsibility (Chowdhury, 2018). The findings are discussed to promote NOS in their beliefs and instructional practices

METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION