Senior Secondary School Science Teachers in Delta and Edo States Conceptualization about the Nature of Science

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to find out the conceptions of science teachers about the nature of science. To guide this study, four research questions were asked and four hypotheses tested. The design of the study was descriptive survey and instrument used for data collection was a 22 item questionnaire. The sample of the study consisted of 400 science teachers drawn from senior secondary schools in Edo and Delta states. The data collected were analyzed with simple percentages and Chi square statistics. The major findings of the study included: (i) higher percentage of science teachers selected options which agreed with traditionalist's view on NOS; (ii) of the 22 items, in17 of them a higher proportion of science teachers conceived science from the traditionalist's view as against 5 for the constructivist view; (iii) a significant difference between the proportions of science teachers who opted for either traditionalist's or constructivist's view in all items except item 11; (iv) non-significant difference between the proportion of male and female science teachers on conception of science from the traditionalist's view; (v) significant differences in the proportions of male and female science teachers only in items 6,8,9 and 12 on the conception of science from the constructivist's view; (vi) non-significant difference in the proportions of urban and rural science teachers on conception of science from the traditionalist's view while significant differences were found between them only in items 2,6,10,12 and 17 on constructivist's view; and (vii) non-significant difference in the proportion of NCE, B.Sc (Ed) and B.Sc holders on conceptions of science from the traditionalist's view in all items except in item 17 while significant differences were found between them only in items 4,9,17 and 20 on constructivist's view. It is concluded that this trend in the conception of NOS can only be reversed through a deliberate science teacher preparatory curricula reform to include elements of constructivism.

Bhutanese science teachers’ perceptions of the nature of science: a cross-sectional study

“…That is if teachers receive training through the same curricula, same instructors, or similar processes, their NOS conceptions invariably remain the same or similar irrespective of their gender (Adedoyin & Bello, 2017; Saif, 2016 ). As per Ajaja ( 2012 ), both male and female science teachers would have the highest instances to see the NOS from a similar lens if they handle the same curriculum in their daily classroom teaching, including textbooks. On the other hand, Dogan and Abd-El-Khalick ( 2008 ) espouse reasons from different and bigger lines of thought.…”

“…A few studies report that there is no significant relationship between science teachers’ gender and their conceptions of the NOS (Saif, 2016 ; Oluwatayo, 2011 ; Taale, 2014 ; Yaman & Nugoglu, 2010). For instance, the descriptive survey carried out by Adedoyin and Bello (2017) and Ajaja ( 2012 ) Nigeria revealed an equal proportion of male and female secondary science teachers with a traditionalist and/or constructivist view of the NOS. In their study of the 201 Turkish science teachers, Yaman and Nugoglu ( 2010 ) also found out that the conceptions of the NOS held by male science teachers are statistically not significant from the conceptions of the NOS held by female science teachers.…”

Revisão Sistemática de Trabalhos sobre Concepções de Natureza da Ciência no Ensino de Ciências

“…A literatura tem indicado a presença de concepções inadequadas sobre a ciência nos diversos níveis de formação (p. ex., Abd-El-Khalick & Ajaja, 2012;Hacieminoglu, Yilmaz-Tuzun, & Ertepinar, 2012;Moss, Abrams & Robb, 2001;Waters-Adams & Nias, 2003), enunciando a necessidade de entender os fatores que levam a tais concepções, de refletir sobre o conhecimento que vem sendo construído na área e de repensar estratégias que sejam eficazes para superar concepções pouco informadas acerca da ciência.…”

Decisões Envolvidas Na Elaboração E Validação De Um Questionário Contextualizado Sobre Concepções De Natureza Da Ciência

“…Aikenhead, 1973;Lederman & O'malley, 1990, Lederman, 1992Harres, 1999;Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000). Os trabalhos sobre concepções de NdC de professores em formação ou em exercício, também não têm sido otimistas quanto à aproximação das concepções de docentes de uma visão considerada bem informada (Waters-Adams & Nias, 2003;Ajaja, 2012;Hacieminoglo et al, 2012).…”