Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the epistemological foundation of science teachers' beliefs and understanding of students' activities in chemistry lessons. It also helps to find out the philosophical perspectives of science teachers and students to accomplish practical activities to transfer school science learning to activity-based instruction. Science teachers' teaching style, students' interaction and engagement in chemistry lessons and collaborative inquiry were closely observed and their epistemologies were documented and explored. Chemistry classes with practical activities were observed in two community schools located at Province 3 (Kathmandu), Nepal. Interpretive data were generated and analyzed concerning a philosophical perspective on play-way chemistry learning. The pragmatic methodological approach was applied, focusing on the experiences of students and their collaboration with the science teachers. The analysis of activity discourse showed that the learning and understanding of chemistry depend upon the basic epistemology of science teachers, activity-based learning and the collaboration between a science teacher and the students were conducted. The results suggest that the science teachers' dogmatic epistemology is the major hindrance and an influential factor resulting in students' poor understanding in chemistry lessons.
Highlights
The theory of knowledge about its methods, validity, scope and the difference between justified beliefs and opinions is epistemology (Ozturk, & Yilmaz-Tuzun, 2017)
The area of science education is related to its content knowledge and science process skills through the scientific method and its effects on society have remarkable effects
The science teachers in this study have shown unique beliefs and actions
Summary
The theory of knowledge about its methods, validity, scope and the difference between justified beliefs and opinions is epistemology (Ozturk, & Yilmaz-Tuzun, 2017). The study aims to explore an epistemological foundation of science teachers on chemistry learning and to help in meaning-making of students’ practices It used an elaboration of socio-cultural perspective inspired by pragmatism (Ozturk, & Yilmaz-Tuzun, 2017). I tried to find out how the basic epistemological framework of science teachers used to analyze to connect the relation between chemistry teaching and students’ meaning-making while doing activities in chemistry lessons. It used pragmatic knowledge which focuses on blending theoretical aspects with practical activities in real teaching and learning. This paper is focused on understanding how science teachers make meaning in everyday class activities in chemistry lessons and what philosophy guides them to be the teacher
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