National science reform documents recommend several nature of science (NOS) elements to introduce to children early in the science curriculum. A researcher developed questionnaire was used to gather information from a random, national sample about early elementary teachers' perceptions of the developmental appropriateness of 12 NOS aspects for the…

Science educators generally accept that the nature of science (NOS) should have a prominent place in school science curricula. This study highlights the special opportunity offered by the history of science (HOS) as a context for teaching NOS, by revealing HOS instructors' perspectives. We collected data from 15 instructors at 11 institutions who…

Enhancing students' understanding of aspects of the nature of science (NOS) recommended by the science education community is an important goal of science instruction. This can occur only when teachers are adequately prepared for teaching NOS. However, the science education community is still considering what is needed to enhance the efficiency of…

The nature of science (NOS) is a phrase used to represent the rules of the game of science. Arguably, NOS is the most important content issue in science instruction because it helps students understand the way in which knowledge is generated and validated within the scientific enterprise. This article offers a proposal for the elements of NOS that…

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the inclusion of aspects of nature of science (NOS) in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS). In this new standards document, NOS elements in eight categories are discussed in Appendix H along with illustrative statements (called exemplars). Many, but not all, of these exemplars are…

This study examined the inclusion of nature of science (NOS) in popular science writing to determine whether it could serve supplementary resource for teaching NOS and to evaluate the accuracy of text mining and classification as a viable research tool in science education research. Four groups of documents published from 2001 to 2010 were…

This article recounts the story of the development of pangenesis, a principle proposed by Charles Darwin to describe the rules of inheritance and the source of new variation, two concepts vital to his proposal of evolution by natural selection. Historical accounts such as this are infrequently included in texts and classroom discussions but can…

This article discusses a number of aspects of the nature of science that can be illustrated by considering the development of pangenesis, a principle proposed by Charles Darwin to describe the rules of inheritance, explain the source of new variation, and solve other natural history puzzles. Pangenesis--although false--can be used to illustrate…

Recently, the nature of science (NOS) has become recognized as an important element within the K-12 science curriculum. Despite differences in the ultimate lists of recommended aspects, a consensus is emerging on what specific NOS elements should be the focus of science instruction and inform textbook writers and curriculum developers. In this…

Increasingly widespread agreement exists that the nature of science (NOS) must be an integral element of the K-12 science curriculum with emerging consensus on what specific NOS elements should be the focus of such instruction. In this study reported, eight recent trade books written by NOS experts addressing the nature of science for the general…

Lists references that focus on the empirical research related to the nature of science as an educational goal along with a few influential philosophical works. The list proves useful to educators and scholars in other fields interested in the nature of science and how understanding can be realized as a goal of science instruction. (Author/SAH)

Urges science teachers and their students to gain an understanding of the nature of science. Describes this field as a blending of various aspects of the social studies of science such as the history, sociology, and philosophy of science. Contains 118 references. (DDR)

A consensus of key nature of science ideas appropriate for inclusion in the K-12 science curriculum has begun to emerge from a review by science educators of the extensive literature in the history and philosophy of science. The authors in this issue of "The Science Teacher" suggest surprisingly parallel sets of NOS content goals for K-12 science…