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.