ERIC Number: EJ840215
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-May
Pages: 35
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0926-7220
Putting Sociology First--Reconsidering the Role of the Social in "Nature of Science" Education
Zemplen, Gabor A.
Science & Education, v18 n5 p525-559 May 2009
Contrasting two examples from 2005, a creationism-trial and a recent textbook, the article shows two different ways of employing social considerations to demarcate science from non-science. Drawing conclusions from the comparison, and citing some of the leading proponents of science studies, the paper argues for a novel perspective in teaching nature of science (NOS) issues, one that grows out of sociological and anthropological considerations of (scientific) expertise. In contrast to currently dominant epistemic approaches to teach NOS, this view makes it possible to incorporate epistemic and social norms in a unified framework that can alleviate presently problematic aspects of NOS modules, and can help students appreciate science as a privileged form of knowledge-production without becoming scientistic. A pilot module to carry out the above is presented and assessed, showing that a broad sociological starting point is closer to the lifeworld of students, and that traditional epistemic considerations need not be compromised.
Descriptors: Sociology, Textbooks, Epistemology, Scientific Attitudes, Sciences, Scientific Principles, Science and Society, Creationism, Science Instruction, Science Education, Units of Study, Teaching Methods, Controversial Issues (Course Content)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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