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Teaching Explicitly and Reflecting on Elements of Nature of Science: a Discourse-Focused Professional Development Program with Four Fifth-Grade Teachers

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Abstract

The nature of science (NOS) has become a central goal of science education in many countries. This study refers to a developmental work research program, in which four fifth-grade elementary in-service teachers participated. It aimed to improve their understandings of NOS and their abilities to teach it effectively to their students. The 1-year-long, 2012–2013, program consisted of a series of activities to support teachers to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of NOS. In order to accomplish our goal, we enabled teacher-researchers to analyze their own discourse practices and to trace evidence of effective NOS teaching. Many studies indicate the importance of examining teachers’ discussions about science in the classroom, since it is teachers’ understanding of NOS reflected in these discussions that will have a vital impact on students’ learning. Our proposal is based on the assumption that reflecting on the ways people form meanings enables us to examine and seek alternative ways to communicate aspects of NOS during science lessons. The analysis of discourse data, which has been carried out with the teacher-researchers’ active participation, indicated that initially only a few aspects of NOS were implicitly incorporated in teacher-researchers’ instruction. As the program evolved, all teacher-researchers presented more informed views on targeted NOS aspects. On the whole, our discourse-focused professional development program with its participatory, explicit, and reflective character indicated the importance of involving teacher-researchers in analyzing their own talk. It is this involvement that results in obtaining a valuable awareness of aspects concerning pedagogical content knowledge of NOS teaching.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trapezountos 26 Str., Zip Code 12134, Peristeri, Attica, Greece

    Panagiotis Piliouras

  2. School of Education, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece

    Katerina Plakitsi & Georgia Papantoniou

  3. School of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Fanny Seroglou

Authors
  1. Panagiotis Piliouras
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  2. Katerina Plakitsi
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  3. Fanny Seroglou
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  4. Georgia Papantoniou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Panagiotis Piliouras.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Discourse Analysis Guide of Tracing Elements of PCK of NOS

(Adapted from Lau 2011, pp. 193–194)

Appendix 2

VNOS (B)

Name: ___________________________.

Date: / /.

Instructions: Answer the following questions, using the back side of the page if you need more space. Please note that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers to these questions. I am simply interested in your views in a number of issues about science.

1. After the development of a theory (e.g., atomic theory, kinetic molecular theory, cell theory), does the theory ever change? If you believe that scientific theories do not change, explain why and support your answer with examples. If you believe that theories do change: (a) Explain why. (b) Explain why we bother to teach and learn scientific theories. Support your answer with examples

2. Science textbooks often represent the atom as a central nucleus composed of positively charged particles (protons) and neutral particles (neutrons) with negatively charged particles (electrons) orbiting the nucleus. How certain are scientists about the structure of the atom? What specific evidence do you think scientists used to determine the structure of the atom?

3. Is there a difference between a scientific theory and a scientific law? Give an example to illustrate your answer.

4. How are science and art similar? How are they different?

5. Scientists perform experiments/research when trying to solve problems. Besides the stage of planning and design, do scientists use their creativity and imagination in the process of performing these experiments/research? Please explain your answer and provide appropriate examples.

6. In the recent past, astronomers proposed different theories for the ultimate fate of the universe. Some astronomers believe that the universe is expanding, some believe that it is shrinking, and others believe that it is in a static state without any expansion or shrinkage. How did the astronomers come to these different conclusions, while they were all looking at the same experiments and data?

Appendix 3

Students’ worksheet.

Measuring forces.

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Piliouras, P., Plakitsi, K., Seroglou, F. et al. Teaching Explicitly and Reflecting on Elements of Nature of Science: a Discourse-Focused Professional Development Program with Four Fifth-Grade Teachers. Res Sci Educ 48, 1221–1246 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9600-4

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