Exploring the components of conceptual ecology mediating the development of nature of science views

Hasan Deniz EXPLORING THE COMPONENTS OF CONCEPTUAL ECOLOGY MEDIATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATURE OF SCIENCE VIEWS The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an explicit-reflective instruction involving the portrayal of non-controversial nature of science aspects on prospective elementary teachers’ nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science, and the factors mediating the development of nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science in an introductory science course context. Using a mixed methods approach, this study examined the impact of the explicit-reflective instruction by doing preand post-instruction assessments of nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science. This study also examined to what extent the factors such as prior nature of science views, metacognitive awareness, thinking dispositions, science self-efficacy beliefs, and motivation are related to post-instruction nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science. The findings suggested that the explicitreflective nature of science instruction was effective in improving nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science. However, a holistic examination of post-instruction nature of science views indicated that post-instruction nature of science views reflected a “naive relativistic” position. The findings also suggested that prior nature of science views and epistemological beliefs about science were related to post-instruction nature of science views and