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Competing research programs in science education: A Lakatosian interpretation

  • Part Two Reflecting on Science Education
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Abstract

The main objective of this article is to analyse the concept-learning—Alternative Conceptions Movement (ACM)—and the developmental—Piagetian School (PS)—perspectives in science education within a Lakatosian framework. Contrary to what has been suggested in the literature, this article argues that the ACM and the PS cannot be considered as rival research programs, as the former is at present primarily descriptive. It is further argued that the theories of Piaget and Pascual-Leone can be considered as rival research programs, which share the same negative heuristic. Work done in science education is reviewed to show an epistemic transition between Piaget's epistemic subject and Pascual-Leone's metasubject, which leads to a progressive “problemshift” (cf. Lakatos, 1970).

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  1. Mansoor Niaz

    Present address: Universidad de Oriente, Cumana, Apartado Postal 90, Estado Sucre, Venezuela

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    Niaz, M. Competing research programs in science education: A Lakatosian interpretation. Interchange 24, 181–190 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447347

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