Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence of Guided Inquiry and Explicit Instruction on K–6 Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science

  • Published:
Journal of Science Teacher Education

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of guided inquiry and explicit reflective instruction on K-6 teachers’ views of nature of science (NOS). Using the Views of Nature of Science Elementary School Version 2 (VNOS-D2), and associated interviews we tracked the changes in NOS views of teacher participants prior to and following a summer professional development program. The teachers participated in guided inquiry to improve physics knowledge, and explicit-reflective NOS activities to improve their views of NOS. Videotaped records of the workshop ensured that explicit reflective NOS instruction took place in conjunction with physics inquiry instruction. Analysis indicated that teachers improved their NOS views by the conclusion of the institute Implications for providing professional development combining inquiry and NOS instruction are made.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abd-El-Khalick, F. S. (2002). Rutherford’s enlarged: A content-embedded activity to teach about nature of science. Physics Education, 37(1), 64–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., & Akerson, V. L. (2004). Learning about nature of science as conceptual change: Factors that mediate the development of preservice elementary teachers’ views of nature of science. Science Education, 88, 785–810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). Improving science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 665–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akerson, V. L., Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). The influence of a reflective activity-based approach on elementary teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37, 295–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akerson, V. L., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. S. (2003). Teaching elements of nature of science: A year-long case study of a fourth-grade teacher. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 1025–1049.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akerson, V. L., & Hanuscin, D. (2003, March). Primary teachers’ abilities to teach via scientific inquiry while making elements of nature of science explicit. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.

  • Akerson, V. L., & Hanuscin, D. (2005, March). Teaching the nature of science through inquiry: The results of a three-year professional development program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Dallas, TX.

  • Akerson, V. L., Morrison, J. A., & McDuffie, R. A. (2006). One course in not enough: Preservice teachers’ retention of improved views of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43, 194–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1989). Science for all Americans. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy: A Project 2061 report. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (2003). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coburn, A. (2004). How to make lab activities more Open ended. Retrieved February 18, 2004 from http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/resources/workshops/lab_activities.html

  • DeBoer, G. E. (1991). A history of ideas in science education: Implications for practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, J. J. (1991). Perspective and practicing secondary school science teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about the philosophy of science. Science Education, 75, 121–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khishfe, R., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. S., (2002). Influence of explicit and reflective versus implicit inquiry-oriented instruction on sixth graders’ views of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 551–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, B. B. (1991). Beginning teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward history and philosophy of science. Science Education, 75, 135–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kielborn, T. L., & Gilmer, P. J. (Eds.) (1999). Meaningful science: Teachers doing inquiry + teaching science. Tallahassee, FL: SERVE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruger, C., Palacio, D., & Summers, M. (1992). Surveys of English primary teachers’ conceptions of force, energy, and materials. Science Education, 76, 339–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger, C., & Summers, M. (1989). An investigation of some primary teachers’ understanding of changes in materials. School Science Review, 71(255), 17–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrenz, F. (1986). Misconceptions of physical science concepts among elementary school teachers. School Science and Mathematics, 86, 654–660.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, J. S., & Khisfhe, R. (2002). Views of the nature of science, Form D. Unpublished manuscript, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

  • Lederman, J., & Ko, E. (2004). Views of nature of science, Form E. Unpublished manuscript, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

  • Lederman, N. G., & O’Malley, M. (1990). Students’ perceptions of tentativeness in science: Development, use, and sources of change. Science Education, 74, 225–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, N. G. (1992). Students’ and teachers’ conceptions about the nature of science: A review of the research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 331–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, N. G., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (1998). Avoiding de-natured science: Activities that promote understandings of the nature of science. In W. McComas (Ed.), The nature of science in science education: Rationales and strategies. (pp. 83–126). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, N. G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R. L., & Schwartz, R. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire (VNOS): Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners’ conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 497–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McComas, W. (1996). Ten myths of science: Reexamining what we think we know about the nature of science. School Science and Mathematics, 91(1), 10–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, L. C. (1990). A perspective on teacher preparation in physics and other sciences: The need for special science courses for teachers. American Journal of Physics, 58, 734–742.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, L. C., & DeWater, L. S. (2000). The need for special science courses for teachers: Two perspectives. In J. Minstrell & E. H. Van Zee (Eds.), Inquiring into inquiry learning and teaching in science. (pp. 242–257). Washington DC: AAAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, L. C., & The Physics Education Group at University of Washington. (1996). Physics by inquiry. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

  • McDermott, L. C., Shaffer, P. S., & Constantinou, C. P. (2000). Preparing teachers to teach physics and physical science by inquiry. Physics Education, 35, 411–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (2000). Inquiry and the national science education standards: A guide for teaching and learning. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Science Teachers Association. (2000). NSTA position statement: The nature of science. Retrieved March 18, 2003, from http://www.nsta.org/159&psid=22

  • Ogunniyi, M. B. (1982). An analysis of prospective science teachers’ understanding of the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 19, 25–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, W. (2001). Inquiry made easy. Science and Children, 39(8), 39–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, R. S., Lederman, N. G., & Crawford, B. A. (2004). Developing views of science in an authentic context: An explicit approach to bridging the gap between nature of science and scientific inquiry. Science Education, 88, 610–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. C., & Neale, D. C. (1989). The construction of subject matter knowledge in primary science teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 5(1), 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, W. W., Klopfer, L. E., & Aikenhead, G. E. (1981). The role of inquiry in science education: Analysis and recommendations. Science Education, 65, 33–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willis, J., & Ross, T. (1994). Earthlets explained by Professor Xargle (2nd ed.). New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, E. (2002). Seven blind mice. New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Deborah L. Hanuscin of University of Missouri for early insight into the development of the program and for training in the use of the Physics by Inquiry program. This project was funded by State of Indiana Improving Teacher Quality, Indiana University Committee on Research on Standards and Assessment, and Center for Education and Evaluation Policy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Indiana University, 201 North Rose Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Valarie L. Akerson

  2. School of Education, Hanover College, Hanover, IN, 47243, USA

    Deborah L. Hanson

  3. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Theresa A. Cullen

Authors
  1. Valarie L. Akerson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Deborah L. Hanson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Theresa A. Cullen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valarie L. Akerson.

About this article

Cite this article

Akerson, V.L., Hanson, D.L. & Cullen, T.A. The Influence of Guided Inquiry and Explicit Instruction on K–6 Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science. J Sci Teacher Educ 18, 751–772 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-007-9065-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-007-9065-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation