This item is non-discoverable
UAE Elementary Students’ Conceptions of Nature of Science
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the concepts of nature of science (NOS) that elementary
grade students bring into the science classroom. A group of 301 boys and girls from elementary schools in
United Arab Emirates were sampled. This study investigated two questions related to students conceptions of
nature of science: (1) What conceptions of NOS do young students hold?, and (2) What is the relationship
between students‟ conceptions of the nature of science and their gender?. Student‟s conceptions of NOS
were measured with the Nature of Science Questionnaire (NOSQ), a newly developed and piloted
instrument. Findings showed that the majority of students in this study held uninformed conceptions about
most of the NOS aspects. According to the results, there was a significant difference between female and
male students‟ conceptions about scientific theory, tentativeness of scientific knowledge, and
the influence of social and cultural values on scientific knowledge. These findings suggest that
today‟s young students bring to the classroom understandings of the NOS that may serve as the foundation
for more effective science education.
Description
Keywords
Nature of Science, Students perceptions, STEM, Science values and cultural values