science are implicated in the achievement objectives, either at two, three or all four of the combined levels, i.e. levels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8. 2. They are strongly represented at each combined level, i.e. eleven of the fourteen at level 1/2; thirteen at level 3/4; ten at level 5/6; and eleven at level 7/8. 3. The three-way grouping of the fourteen ideas about science (four as ‘knowledge’, seven as ‘inquiry’, and three as ‘society’) mirrors the distribution of ideas in the achievement objectives. Overall, therefore, it is possible to conclude that these fourteen ideas about science substantially underpin both the science essence statement and the achievement objectives for the Nature of Science in The New Zealand Curriculum. In that sense, they could be proposed as a response to the question: what do students actually have to know about the Nature of Science?
NZ
science teacher
The fourteen underpinning ideas about science – two wider considerations There are two crucial points that I think we need to consider. Firstly, attention should be drawn to the provisional nature
Levels One and Two: Understanding about science
Investigating in science
Communicating in science
Participating and contributing
• Appreciate that scientists ask questions about our world (1) that lead to investigations (5) and that open-mindedness (8) is important because there may be more than one explanation (7).
• Extend their experiences and personal explanations (7) of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions (6) and discussing (9) simple models (4).
• Build their language (4) and develop their understandings (7) of the many ways (13) the natural world can be represented.
• Explore and act (14) on issues (12) and questions that link their science learning to their daily living (11).
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have for a long time pointed out that the cultures of scientists’ science and school science are very different,14 and it has even been suggested that two cultures have actually significantly diverged during the twentieth century.15 Nevertheless, the generic nature of the science essence statement helps us to keep faith with the notion that what we do in schools actually does illuminate, in significant ways, how professional science operates. For that reason, I believe it is certainly legitimate to seek resonances between the achievement objectives for the teacher-and-student orientated ‘Investigating in science’, ‘Communicating in science’ and ‘Participating and contributing’ subsets (as well, of course, with ‘Understanding about science’) and the fourteen scientist-orientated ideas about science. Tables 3 and 4 identify to what extent the fourteen ideas about the nature of science underpin the wording of levels 1/2 and 3/4, and 5/6 and 7/8 respectively, and Table 5 summarises these two tables. Table 5 suggests three conclusions concerning the fourteen ideas about science: 1. They resonate strongly with the wording of the achievement objectives. All fourteen of the ideas about
Underpinning ideas about science 1. The world is understandable. 5. Science demands evidence. 8. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias. 7. Science aims to explain and predict.
7. Science aims to explain and predict. 6. Science is a blend of curiosity, imagination, creativity, logic and serendipity. 9. Scientists work together. 4. Many science explanations require specialist language and symbols and are often in the form of ‘models’.
4.
Many science explanations require specialist language and symbols and are often in the form of ‘models’. 7. Science aims to explain and predict 13. Informed citizenship entails applying rational argument and scepticism to science text.
14. Participating in informed decision-making about socio-scientific issues is a civic responsibility. 12. Issues of ethics, values, economics and politics operate between science and the rest of society. 11. Scientists often study complex interrelated systems.
Understanding about science
Investigating in science
Communicating in science
Participating and contributing
•
•
•
•
Levels Three and Four:
•
Appreciate that science is a way (3) of explaining the world (1) and that science knowledge changes over time (2). Identify ways in which scientists work together (9) and provide evidence (5) to support their ideas.
•
Build on prior experiences (10), working together (9) to share and examine their own and others’ knowledge (8). Ask questions, find evidence (5), explore simple models (4) and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations (7).
•
Begin to use a range of scientific symbols, conventions and vocabulary 4). Engage with a range of science texts and begin to question the purposes for which these texts are constructed (13).
•
Use their growing science knowledge when considering issues (12) of concern to them. Explain various aspects (11) of an issue and make decisions about possible actions (14).
Underpinning ideas about science 3. Science cannot provide complete answers to all questions. 1. The world is understandable. 2. Science ideas are evolving. 9. Scientists work together. 5. Science demands evidence.
10. Scientists’ observations are influenced by their existing ideas. 9. Scientists work together. 8. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias. 5. Science demands evidence. 4. Many science explanations require specialist language and symbols and are often in the form of ‘models’. 7. Science aims to explain and predict.
4.
Many science explanations require specialist language and symbols and are often in the form of ‘models’. 13. Informed citizenship entails applying rational argument and scepticism to science text.
12. Issues of ethics, values, economics and politics operate between science and the rest of society. 11. Scientists often study complex interrelated systems 14. Participating in informed decision making about socio-scientific issues is a civic responsibility.
Table 3: Identifying where fourteen ideas about the nature of science underpin the wording of the Level 1/2 and Level 3/4 science statements in The New Zealand Curriculum. New Zealand Association of Science Educators
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