Korean Students' Perceptions of Scientific Practices and Understanding of Nature of Science

Abstract

Korean students have shown relatively little interest and confidence in learning science, despite being ranked in the top percentile in international evaluations of academic achievement in science such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Although research indicates a positive relationship between student perceptions of science and their science learning, this area has not been sufficiently explored in Korea. Particularly, even though both students' perceptions of scientific practice and their understanding of the nature of science (NOS) are influenced by their science learning experiences at schools, little research examines how this perception, understanding, and experience are related to one another. This study aimed to uncover Korean students' perceptions of school scientific practice through exploring their drawings, writings, and responses to questionnaires. Participants were 500 Korean students in 3rd, 7th, and 10th grades who were asked to complete an open-ended questionnaire. The results indicated that Korean students typically viewed school scientific practices as experimental activities or listening to lecture; and that most participants held an insufficient understanding of the NOS. Overall, no significant relationship emerged between students' perceptions of school scientific practice and their understanding of the NOS. Our findings highlight the need to help both teachers and students understand the potential breadth of school scientific practices, beyond simple ‘activity mania.’ This study also suggests that teachers must balance implicit and explicit instructional approaches to teaching about the NOS through scientific practices in school science contexts.