Investigating Understandings of Turkish Medical Graduate Students about Nature of Scientific Knowledge, Scientific Method, Characteristics of Scientists and Definition of Science

Abstract

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Epistemological Predictors of Prospective Biology Teachers’ Nature of Science Understandings

“…They define science as a "study of the world" by making frequent reference to man. In another study, Koksal and Koksal (2012) showed that medical researchers define science by focusing on study objects such as animals, plants or life. Hence, anthropocentricity might not be the only reason for NOS misunderstandings of definition of science.…”

“…Learning science might be confused with stereotyped learning of scientists depicted as a quick learning process (e.g. immediate sparkling when something is learnt) in resources or minds when scientists learn about the unknown (Irez, 2009;Koksal & Koksal, 2012;Meyers, 2007). Hence, scientists are depicted as quick learners.…”

“…Hence, scientists are depicted as quick learners. Moreover, it is believed that they have a higher and stable ability, and they do not need additional opportunity and support to learn (Dogan-Bora, Arslan & Cakiroglu, 2006;Koksal & Koksal, 2012). Koksal and Koksal (2012) found that graduate students believed in being quick and intelligent (a stable characteristic) in learning is a characteristic of scientists.…”

“…Moreover, it is believed that they have a higher and stable ability, and they do not need additional opportunity and support to learn (Dogan-Bora, Arslan & Cakiroglu, 2006;Koksal & Koksal, 2012). Koksal and Koksal (2012) found that graduate students believed in being quick and intelligent (a stable characteristic) in learning is a characteristic of scientists. Therefore, science knowledge and objectivity in science are associated with a naive understanding of learning science over time and a need for support and opportunity for improving learning ability.…”

“…Irez (2009) showed that step-by-step learning in the scientific process is emphasized in biology textbooks; this might be a reason for the fixed learning ability belief in science. Since even graduate level students believe in following a step-bystep process to learn about scientific problems (Koksal & Koksal, 2012). Therefore, accepting scientific knowledge production including observation and evidence as a learning type is a significant base to see learning as a time-requiring and improvable process with support and opportunity.…”