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Contributions of the Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science in Science Education

A Review of Emergent Research and Development

  • SI: nature of science
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Abstract

The emergence of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) to nature of science (NOS) has prompted a fresh wave of scholarship embracing this new approach in science education. The FRA provides an ambitious and practical vision for what NOS-enriched science content should aim for and promotes evidence-based practices in science education to support the enactment of such vision. The present article provides an overview of research and development efforts utilizing the FRA and reviews recent empirical studies including those conducted in preservice science teacher education as well as studies utilizing FRA to analyze NOS representations in curriculum documents and textbooks. The article concludes with implications and recommendations for future research and practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6PY, UK

    Sibel Erduran

  2. The Norwegian Centre for Science Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Sibel Erduran

  3. College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang, China

    Sibel Erduran

  4. School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Zoubeida R. Dagher

  5. School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, QLD, 4122, Australia

    Christine V. McDonald

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  1. Sibel Erduran
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  2. Zoubeida R. Dagher
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  3. Christine V. McDonald
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Correspondence to Christine V. McDonald.

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Erduran, S., Dagher, Z.R. & McDonald, C.V. Contributions of the Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science in Science Education. Sci & Educ 28, 311–328 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-019-00052-2

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