A Science Teacher's Conceptions About the Nature of Science

Science teachers’ epistemological beliefs about scientific knowledge have significant implications for their practices and ultimately for the students’ learning of science. This book is based on a research study which investigated the understanding of the nature of science of a science teacher teaching in a private school in Karachi. His life story plays a vital role in this study to illustrate his views of nature of science. However, I have also narrated my own story to exemplify my own perspective as a researcher. The study indicates that in some cases, he holds informed conceptions about the nature of science. However, in a few important areas he showed naïve views. The findings revealed that the teacher’s conceptions of the nature of science are embedded in his experiences of learning and learning to teach. He is more likely to teach or not to teach the way he has been taught in school, college or in professional development programmes. The findings further suggest that nature of science may be explicitly defined and included in the National Curriculum for Science and teacher education programmes, and translated into textbooks, instructional and assessment practices.