Relationships between Scientific Process Skills and Scientific Creativity: Mediating Role of Nature of Science Knowledge

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the strength of relationships between 7 th grade students' Scientific Process Skills (SPS), Nature of Science (NOS) beliefs, and Scientific Creativity (SC) through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). For this purpose, data were collected from 332 students of two public middle school students in Turkey. SPS, Nature of Scientific Knowledge Scale (NSKS) and SC instruments were used as data collection tools. Zero-order and partial correlation analysis, MANCOVA and ANCOVA analyses were conducted on the data. Two models were hypothesized. In Hypothesized Model 1, it was considered that SPS both directly and indirectly through subscales of NSKS predicted SC; whereas, in Hypothesized Model 2, it was considered that the SPS directly predicted SC. SEM analysis was conducted to test the two hypothesized models. Sobel's z tests were conducted to examine the significance of the mediator roles of NSKS's subscales in the relationships between SPS and SC. Results indicated that the relationships between SPS and SC were partially mediated by only the Testable subscale of NSKS; likewise, this relationship was partially mediated by secondorder factor NSKS. Finally, we found that the Creative subscale of NSKS has a moderator role on predictive power of the SPS on the SC. Classroom implications obtained from the results are discussed in the paper.

Examining the Effects of Geography Lessons Taught with Place Based Teaching to Science Process Skills for Classroom Teacher Candidates

“…As a result of the research, it has been determined that students gain more knowledge with science process skills. In the study conducted by Özdemir and Dikici (2017) with secondary school students, the researchers reached a conclusion that if the students understanding of natural science was fully developed, a harmony between science process skills and science creativity would be established, that is, all three are related to each other.…”

Virtual Exchange with Problem-Based Learning: Practicing Analogy Development with Diverse Partners

“…PBL started in medical education, suffused professional education, and has seeped into K-12 schools, with potential to achieve new science standards in states and countries (BouJaoude, 2012;NGSS Lead States, 2013;McConnell et al, 2018). Research suggests that PBL has many benefits, including improvements in problem-solving skills (Hmelo-Silver, 2004); cognitive engagement (Rotgans & Schmidt, 2011); academic learning, retention, and skill development (Jensen, 2015); critical thinking (Iwaoka et al, 2010); creativity (Ozdemir & Dikici, 2017); communication (Koh et al, 2008); self-directed learning (Koh et al, 2008;Loyens et al, 2008); biology research skills (Berry, 2017); working with others/teamwork skills (Koh et al, 2008;Brown et al, 2013); coping with uncertainty (Koh et al, 2008); and multicultural groups working together (Brown et al, 2013). Different instructor roles can present implementation challenges (Abdelkhalek et al, 2010), which can be reduced by education about the approach (Dole et al, 2016).…”

Changes in Acceptance of Evolution and Associated Factors during a Year of Introductory Biology: The Shifting Impacts of Biology Knowledge, Politics, Religion, Demographics, and Understandings of the Nature of Science

“…Among the other nature of 220 science scales (many of which are summarized in Lederman, Wade, & Bell, 1998), we chose the 221 Nature of Scientific Knowledge Survey (NSKS; Rubba & Andersen, 1978), a 48-item, 5-point 222 Likert survey tool. Though it has been some time since its original construction, the NSKS is 223 still being used currently (Ozdemir & Dikici, 2017), and has been successful enough to have 224 been translated into multiple languages since its inception (Chan, 2005;Folmer, Barbosa, Soares, 225 & Rocha, 2009;Kilic, Sungur, Cakiroglu, & Tekkaya, 2005). 226…”