Realising the Potential of an Authentic Context to Understand the Characteristics of NOS and NOT: You, me and UV

Abstract

A group of preservice primary teachers (46) in their third year of a Bachelor of Education degree were overtly taught the nature of science (NOS) and nature of technology (NOT) within an authentic context of the issues of UV radiation. The research question asked was, ‘What characteristics of NOS and NOT are identified, illustrated and justified within an authentic context by the preservice teachers?’ This context was accessed via a web-based resource, ‘You, Me and UV’ (www.sciencelearn.org.nz), which provided preservice teachers with virtual access to the science research community. The goal of this research was to explore the potential of providing a virtual authentic resource, accompanied by explicit teaching of NOS and NOT, to develop preservice teachers' understandings of NOS and NOT. A data collection instrument where preservice teachers were required not only to identify examples of NOS and NOT, but also to justify and contextualise them from this context, was able to capture their level of understanding. It also showed the potential of an authentic context and the possibilities of a virtual resource to provide access to communities of practice of science and technology research.