A proposal to teach the nature of science NOS to science teachers: The structuring theoretical field

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A proposal to teachthe nature of science
(NOS)to science teachersThe structuring
theoretical fields of NOS

• Agustín Adúriz-Bravo
• Grupo de Epistemología, Historia y Didáctica de
  las Ciencias Naturales
• Centro de Formación e Investigación en Enseñanza
  de las Ciencias
• Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales
• Universidad de Buenos Aires
• Argentina

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??a p??tas? ??a t? d?das?a??a t?? f?s?? t??
ep?st?µ??st??? e?pa?de?t??????a d?µ???
?e???t??? ped?a t?? f?s?? t?? ep?st?µ??

• Agustín Adúriz-Bravo
• Grupo de Epistemología, Historia y Didáctica de
  las Ciencias Naturales
• Centro de Formación e Investigación en Enseñanza
  de las Ciencias
• Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales
• Universidad de Buenos Aires
• Argentina

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Teaching NOS

• Didactics of science research area HPS, research
  line NOS.
• Pedagogy focus teacher education.
• Didactics of philosophy focus PS teaching.
• Teaching PS to non-philosophers, PSP.

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Teaching NOS

• Didactics of science research area HPS, research
  line NOS.
• Pedagogy focus teacher education.
• Didactics of philosophy focus PS teaching.
• Teaching PS to non-philosophers, PSP.

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??d?s???ta?t?? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ??

• ??da?t??? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ?? e?e???t???
  pe????? ?st???a ?a? f???s?f?a t?? f?s????
  ep?st?µ??, e?e???t??? ??aµµ? f?s? t??
  ep?st?µ??.
• ?a?da?????? est?as? st?? e?pa?de?s?
  e?pa?de?t????.
• ??da?t??? t?? f???s?f?a? est?as? st? d?das?a??a
  t?? f???s?f?a? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??.
• ??d?s???ta? f???s?f?a t?? ep?st?µ?? se
  µ?-f???s?f???.

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NOS as a research line

• Within the area HPS a possible contribution of
  history, philosophy, and sociology of science to
  science education.
• NOS diagnoses, modifies and evaluates ideas on
  science in different populations (students,
  scientists, general audiences and science
  teachers!).

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NOS as a research line

• Within the area HPS a possible contribution of
  history, philosophy, and sociology of science to
  science education.
• NOS diagnoses, modifies and evaluates ideas on
  science in different populations (students,
  scientists, general audiences and science
  teachers!).

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? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ???? ??aµµ? ??e??a?

• ??sa st?? pe????? t?? ?st???a? ?a? f???s?f?a? t??
  f?s???? ep?st?µ?? p??a?? s?µß??? t?? ?st???a?,
  t?? f???s?f?a? ?a? t?? ????????????a? ??a t?
  d?das?a??a t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??.
• ? ??e??a st? d?das?a??a t?? f?s?? t?? ep?st?µ??
  µa? ß???? ?a d?a???s??µe, ?a t??p?p???s??µe ?a?
  ?a a???????s??µe t?? ap??e?? ??a t?? f?s????
  ep?st?µe? p?? ????? d??f???? p????sµ?? (µa??t??,
  ep?st?µ??e?, µ?-e?d???? ?a? e?pa?de?t???? p??
  d?d?s???? f?s???? ep?st?µe?).

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New imperative

• Teachers should be acquainted with NOS
• then someone is required to explicitly teach it
  to them!

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New imperative

• Teachers should be acquainted with NOS
• then someone is required to explicitly teach it
  to them!

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??a ??a a?????

• ?? d?s?a??? ?a? ?? das???e? ??e???eta? ?a
  d?da????? st???e?a t?? f?s?? t?? ep?st?µ??
• ep?µ???? ??e???eta? ??p???? ?a t??? d?d??e? ??a
  t?? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ??!

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Aim of my work

• The problem of teaching NOS to prospective and
  in-service science teachers, analysed from the
  perspective of didactics of science.

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St???? t?? ??e??a?

• ??? ?a d?d????µe t? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ?? se
  µe????t????? ?a? e? e?e??e?a e?pa?de?t?????
  eµp???t?sµ??? µe µ?a a????s? st? p?a?s?? t??
  d?da?t???? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??.

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NOS has layered meanings

• What this thing called science is.
• Conceptualisations (rational reconstructions)
  from meta-sciences on such a thing.
• A curriculum component teaching these
  conceptualisations.
• A theoretical reflection on the problems arising
  from such teaching.

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????? ep?peda ???µ?t??

• ?? e??a? a?t? p?? ???µ????µe f?s???? ep?st?µe?
• ??µ???????ta? ?????e? (??????? a?ad?µ?se??) ap?
  t?? µeta-ep?st?µe? p??? st?? f?s???? ep?st?µe?.
• ??a a?a??t??? p????aµµa p?? d?d?s?e? a?t?? t??
  ??????? a?ad?µ?se??.
• ??a? ?e???t???? a?ast??asµ?? p??? sta p??ß??µata
  p?? p????pt??? ap? µ?a t?t??a d?das?a??a.

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A first problem arises

• Curriculum design
• What NOS shall we teach to science teachers?

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NOS layered meanings

• What this thing called science is.
• Conceptualisations (rational reconstructions)
  from meta-sciences on such a thing.
• A curriculum component teaching these
  conceptualisations.
• A theoretical reflection on the problems arising
  from such teaching.

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??t?µ?t?p?? µe ??a p??t? p??ß??µa

• S?ed?????ta? a?a??t??? p?????µµata
• ???a f?s? t?? ep?st?µ?? ?a d?d????µe st???
  e?pa?de?t????? p?? d?d?s???? f?s???? ep?st?µe?

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This problems leads to another

• Selection and transposition
• Which NOS to select, and how to make it suitable
  for teaching purposes?

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NOS layered meanings

• What this thing called science is.
• Conceptualisations (rational reconstructions)
  from meta-sciences on such a thing.
• A curriculum component teaching these
  conceptualisations.
• A theoretical reflection on the problems arising
  from such teaching.

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?? ??a p??ß??µa?d??e? se ????

• ?p????? ?a? µetas??µat?sµ??
• ???a f?s? t?? ep?st?µ?? ?a ep??????µe, ?a? p?? ?a
  t? µetas??µat?s??µe ?at?????a ?ste ?a µp????µe ?a
  t? d?d????µe

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And yet another

• Criteria formulation
• How to justify choices and operations?

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NOS layered meanings

• What this thing called science is.
• Conceptualisations (rational reconstructions)
  from meta-sciences on such a thing.
• A curriculum component teaching these
  conceptualisations.
• A theoretical reflection on the problems arising
  from such teaching.

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?a? ???? p??ß??µa

• ??aµ??f?s? ???t?????
• ??? ?a d??a??????s??µe ep?????? ?a? ?e?t?????e?

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An initial restriction

• NOS is mainly contents from the philosophy of
  science, set in episodes from the history of
  science, and warned against scientism by the
  sociology of science.

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??a? a?????? pe?????sµ??

• ? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ?? af??? ?????? ??µata ap? t?
  f???s?f?a t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??, t?p??et?µ???
  se epe?s?d?a ap? t?? ?st???a t?? f?s????
  ep?st?µ??, ?a? e??µe??µ??? ?at? t??
  ep?st?µ???sµ?? µe t? ß???e?a t?? ????????????a?
  t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??.

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A sketch of an answer

• Questions and problems to be taught may be
  provided by the disciplinary tradition of the
  philosophy of science.
• Structuring concepts theory, explanation,
  realism
• Structuring theoretical fields.

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A sketch of an answer

• Questions and problems to be taught may be
  provided by the disciplinary tradition of the
  philosophy of science.
• Structuring concepts theory, explanation,
  realism
• Structuring theoretical fields (strands).

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S??a??af??ta? µ?a ap??t?s?

• ? ep?st?µ????? pa??d?s? t?? f???s?f?a? t??
  f?s???? ep?st?µ?? µp??e? ?a µa? pa???e? t??
  e??t?se?? ?a? ta p??ß??µata ??a t? d?das?a??a t??
  f?s?? t?? ep?st?µ??.
• ??µ??ta? ?????e? ?e???a, e?µ??e?a, ?ea??sµ??
• ??µ??ta? ?e???t??? ped?a (ped?a).

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Identifying the strands

• What are the recurrent philosophical queries on
  the nature of science?
• those that have given identity to the
  discipline?
• those that are taught to newcomers?

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??a????????ta? ta ped?a

• ???e? e??a? ?? a??ae? f???s?f???? a?a??t?se?? ??a
  t? f?s? t?? ep?st?µ??
• a?t? p?? d?µ??????sa? t?? ta?t?t?ta t??
  ep?st?µ?????? a?t?? ??????
• a?t? p?? d?d?s???ta? st??? ?e?fe?µ?????

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Let us ask the philosophers

• Expert consultations.
• Practice observations.
• Textbook and programme analysis.

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?? ??t?s??µet??? f???s?f???

• S?µß???e??µe??? t??? e?d?????.
• ?a?at????ta? efa?µ???? d?das?a??a?.
• ??a????ta? ß?ß??a ?a? a?a??t??? p?????µµata.

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Introductory textbooksto teach PS to
undergraduates

• Around forty texts in English and Spanish.
• Among them Chalmers, Hempel, Okasha, Robinson,
  Ladyman, Losee

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??ß??a ??a ta e?sa?????? µa??µata f???s?f?a? t??
f?s???? ep?st?µ??se p??pt???a???? f??t?t??

• ?e??p?? 40 ß?ß??a sta a?????? ?a? ta ?spa????.
• ??aµes? t??? Chalmers, Hempel, Okasha, Robinson,
  Ladyman, Losee

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The strands

• A complete set.
• Exclusive categories.
• Relatively stable in time.
• Providing questions, but not hinting at the
  answers!
• We need to be able to choose

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The strands

• A complete set.
• Exclusive categories.
• Relatively stable in time.
• Providing questions, but not hinting at the
  answers!
• We need to be able to choose

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?a ped?a

• ??a p???? se???.
• ?p???e?st???? ?at?????e?.
• S?et??? sta?e?? st? ?????.
• ?a?????ta? e??t?se??, a??? ????? ?a ?p?????µe t??
  apa?t?se??!
• ???pe? ?a µp????µe ?a ep??????µe

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The strands

• Correspondence rationality
• What is the relationship between the world and
  what science says about it?
• Are there ways to assess the validity of what
  science says about the world?

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?a ped?a

• ??t?st????a ????????sµ??
• ???a ? s??s? a??µesa st?? ??sµ? ?a? se a?t? p??
  ?? f?s???? ep?st?µe? ???e ??a t?? ??sµ?
• ?p?????? t??p?? ?a a???????s??µe t?? a???p?st?a
  a?t?? p?? ?? f?s???? ep?st?µe? µa? ???e ??a t??
  ??sµ??

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The strands

• Intervention methodologies
• How does science intervene on the real world?
• How do scientists proceed when doing science?

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?a ped?a

• ?a?eµßat?sµ?? µe??d?????e?
• ??? ?? f?s???? ep?st?µe? pa?eµßa????? st??
  p?a?µat??? ??sµ?
• ??? d???? ?? ep?st?µ??e? ?ta? ?????? f?s????
  ep?st?µe?

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The strands

• Evolution judgement
• How does science change in time?
• How do scientists chose between rival theories?

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?a ped?a

• ??????? ???s?
• ??? ?? f?s???? ep?st?µe? a??????? st?? ?????
• ??? ?? ep?st?µ??e? ep??????? µeta??
  a?ta????st???? ep?st?µ??

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The strands

• Contexts values
• How does society influence science?
• What are the values sustained by
  science/scientists?

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?a ped?a

• ??a?s?a a??e?
• ??? ? ???????a ep??e??e? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µe?
• ???e? a??e? f????? ?? f?s???? ep?st?µe? ?a? ??
  ep?st?µ??e?

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The strands

• Demarcation structure
• How can we distinguish between science and
  non-scientific enterprises?
• What is the structure of the edifice of science?

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?a ped?a

• ??????t?s? d?µ?
• ??? µp????µe ?a d?a??????µe t?? ep?st?µ?????? ap?
  t? µ?-ep?st?µ?????? d?ast????t?te?
• ???a e??a? ? d?µ? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µ??

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The strands

• Normativity recursion
• What is the role of the philosophy of science
  regarding science?
• How can we talk on talking, think on thinking and
  act on acting?

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?a ped?a

• ?a??????t?ta epa??????
• ????? ? ????? t?? f???s?f?a? t?? f?s????
  ep?st?µ?? st?? ?d?e? t?? f?s???? ep?st?µe?
• ??? ?a µ???s??µe ??a t? p?? ?a µ???µe, ?a
  s?eft??µe ??a t? p?? ?a s?eft?µaste ?a? ?a d???µe
  µetas??µat????ta? ?a? a?a?e????ta? t?? d??se??
  µa?

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Didactical uniton modelsand modelling
Some choices were made!
52
??a d?da?t??? e??t?ta??a ta µ??t??a ?a? t?
µ??te??p???s?
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Content through the strands

• Moderate realism.
• Model-based view.
• Modelling as a methodology.
• Change of models.
• Abduction.
• Science as modelling.
• Naturalised approach.

54
?e??e??µe?? a?? ped??

• ??t???? ?ea??sµ??.
• ?pt??? ßas?sµ??? sta µ??t??a.
• ? µ??te??p???s? ?? µe??d?????a.
• ???a?? µ??t????.
• ?fa??es?.
• F?s???? ep?st?µe? ?a? µ??te??p???s?.
• ??a eµpe????? p??s????s?

55
Formaldehyde guests
The landlady by Roald Dahl (1959)
gt He uses the psychoanalytic concept of das
Unheimliche.
56
?? ep?s??pte? se f??µa?de?d?
? sp?t?????????? t?? Roald Dahl (1959)
gt ???s?µ?p??e? t?? ????a?a??t??? p??s????s? das
Unheimliche.
57
The unit

• 1 We first read the story.

58
? e??t?ta

• 1 ? p??t? a?????s? t?? ?st???a?.

59
2 Someone volunteers to re-tell it.

• Billy Weavers journey from London to Bath, with
  a series of sinister incidents.

60
2 ??p???? t?? ?a?a??e? e?e???t???.

• ?? ta??d? t?? Billy Weaver ap? t? ???d??? st?
  ?pa?, µe µ?a se??? ap? µa??ß??a pe??stat???.

61
3 We solve some tasks.

• What will happen to Billy Weaver?
• Why do you think that is the end of the story?

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3 ?p??????ta? µe????? p??ß??µat???? ?atast?se??

• ?? s???ß? µe t?? Billy Weaver
• G?at? ??µ??e?? ?t? ?ts? te?e???e? ? ?st???a

63
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea tastes of bitter almonds
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of hospital corridors
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris sound familiar
the landladys incongruence
64
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea tastes of bitter almonds
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of hospital corridors
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris sound familiar
the landladys incongruence
65
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea tastes of bitter almonds
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of hospital corridors
We select
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris sound familiar
the landladys incongruence
66
4 ??ast??a??µaste a?t? p?? ???aµe.
ts?? µe ?e?s? p???aµ??da??
??????d?a se ß???
? Basil e??a? ßa?saµ?µ????
µ???d?? ??s???µe???
µes???p? ????a
Greg Chris fa????ta? ???st? ???µata
ße???d??e? ????t??e?
? sp?t?????????? ??e? a???s?e?
67
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea tastes of bitter almonds
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of hospital corridors
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris sound familiar
the landladys incongruence
68
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
69
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
We load
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
70
4 ??ast??a??µaste a?t? p?? ???aµe.
ts?? µe ?d????????
??????d?a se ß???
? Basil e??a? ßa?saµ?µ????
t? f??t?saµe
µ???d?? f??µa?de?d??
µes???p? ????a
ße???d??e? ????t??e?
Greg Chris e?afa?????ta?
? sp?t?????????? ??e? a???s?e?
71
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
72
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
73
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
We relate
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
74
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea tastes of bitter almonds
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of hospital corridors
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris sound familiar
the landladys incongruence
75
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
76
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
Tweetys grannie is in fact a serial killer
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
77
4 ??ast??a??µaste a?t? p?? ???aµe.
ts?? µe ?d????????
??????d?a se ß???
? Basil e??a? ßa?saµ?µ????
? ??a????a t?? Tweety e??a? d???f???? ?at
e?a???????s?
µ???d?? f??µa?de?d??
µes???p? ????a
ße???d??e? ????t??e?
Greg Chris e?afa?????ta?
? sp?t?????????? ??e? a???s?e?
78
4 We reflect on what we did.
tea with Prussic acid
flowers in a vase
Basil is embalmed
THEORETICAL MODEL
smell of formaldehyde
middle-aged lady
velvet curtains
Greg and Chris are disappeared
the landladys incongruence
79
5 We draw an analogy.

• We think about science.
• We learn the idea of theoretical model.

80
5 ?????µe µ?a a?a????a

• S?eft?µaste ??a t?? f?s???? ep?st?µe?.
• G???????µe t?? ?????a t?? ?e???t???? µ??t????.

81
6 We connect this with teaching practices.

• We reflect on the implications for science
  teaching.
• We propose ways of doing.

82
?????µe s?s?et?sµ??? µet?? d?da?t???? p?a?t????

• ??ast??a??µaste t?? ep?pt?se?? ?a? t?? p???pt????
  a?t?? t?? p??s????s?? st? d?das?a??a t?? f?s????
  ep?st?µ??.
• ???te????µe µ??t??a d?da?t???? p?a?t????.

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Muchísimas gracias!
aadurizbravo_at_cefiec.fcen.uba.ar