Theoretical-Methodological Perspectives of the Debate about Nature of Science in Science Education: Contrasts and Approximations between the Consensus View and Renewed Tendencies

Abstract

Context : In science education, teachers and researchers are concerned with and defend a teaching practice that enables an understanding of the nature of science and the principles of scientific research that considers essential aspects such as the purpose of scientific work, the nature of scientific knowledge and the idea that science is a social enterprise, valuing the perception of science as human activity, permeated and conditioned by ethical, economic, political, and cultural values. In this sense, there are a series of proposals and perspectives on the nature of science that represent advances to the contributions to these discussions, which are taken as reference in Science classes. Objectives : In this work, we identify and systematize contrasts and approximations between classical theoretical-methodological perspectives and renewed tendencies for the nature of science in science education. Design : The analysis was carried out based on the criticisms and opinions of authors who are looking for alternatives to the teaching of the nature of science in Science classes. Results : In the end, we show that some of the different theoretical-methodological perspectives that have been renewed may not be able to overcome some of the criticisms to the classic view in the debate about the nature of science in science education