ERIC Number: EJ1292802
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Apr
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0926-7220
EISSN: N/A
Beyond Hypothesis Testing: Investigating the Diversity of Scientific Methods in Science Teachers' Understanding
Ioannidou, Olga; Erduran, Sibel
Science & Education, v30 n2 p345-364 Apr 2021
Recent reforms in science education have promoted students' understanding of how science works, including the methodological approaches used by scientists. Given that teachers are expected to teach and promote methodological pluralism, it is worth examining how teachers understand and view scientific methods, particularly when scientific methods are presented as a diverse array and not as a linear model based exclusively on hypothesis testing. The empirical study presented in the paper examines science teachers' understanding of scientific methods, particularly the diversity of scientific methods. Brandon's Matrix, a philosopher's account of scientific methods, has been adapted for educational purposes, and two tasks were developed in order to investigate teachers' understanding of scientific methods. Fifty-six science teachers (25% male, 75% female) from different regions in the UK responded to an online survey. The results showed that the majority of the teachers showed satisfactory understanding of basic components of Brandon's Matrix. However, more than half of the sample held naïve understanding of scientific methods. By providing insight into teachers' misconceptions about scientific methods, the study provides suggestions for the design of teacher training programmes and highlights the need for explicit instruction about scientific methods. In addition, we suggest the use of heuristics such as Brandon's Matrix for the development of pedagogical tools as well as research instruments.
Descriptors: Scientific Methodology, Science Education, Science Teachers, Knowledge Level, Misconceptions, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A