This lesson used the correspondence of Charles Darwin as an exploration of nature of science (NOS) in a historical context. Specifically, we used his original correspondence about his "provisional hypothesis" of pangenesis as a novel way to explore a scientist's social community. Darwin's community of friends and colleagues in the…

Science teaching always engages a philosophy of science. This article introduces a modern philosophy of science and indicates its implications for science education. The hermeneutic philosophy of science is the tradition of Kant, Heidegger, and Heelan. Essential to this tradition are two concepts of truth, truth as correspondence and truth as…

This guide provides an introduction to the major issues and literature of science in society. The book is divided into four parts: (1) "The Nature of Science"; (2) "The Nature of Technology"; (3) "Humans in the Environment"; and (4) "Current Issues in Science." The first part covers a history of science technology are covered in the second. In the…

A large-scale paper-and-pencil assessment of the attainment targets of environmental studies with a focus on the subject area nature was held in primary education in Flanders (Belgium). The tests on different subfields of nature, i.e. the human body, healthcare, organisms, ecosystems, environmental care and non-living nature, were administered to…

The field of science education has struggled to create robust, meaningful forms of education that effectively engage students from historically non-dominant communities and women. This paper argues that a primary issue underlying this on-going struggle pivots on constructions of nature-culture relations. We take up structuration theory (Giddens,…

After taking seriously the idea that nature should have human rights argued by Cormac Cullinan in Orion Magazine (January/February 2008), we examined the lessons that could be learned from the tree that owns itself in Athens, Georgia. The point is to engage others in environmental and science education in a critical conversation about how school…

Since the 1990s, researchers have increasingly drawn attention to the multiplicity of representations used in science. This issue of "RISE" advances this line of research by placing such representations at the centre of science teaching and learning. The authors show that representations do not simply transmit scientific information; they are…

This article focuses on the need for increased attention to content issues and working methods for science teaching in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Science education research emphasises the importance of not only focusing on specific phenomena, but also on the Nature of Science (NOS). NOS teaching deals with questions about what science is,…

Discusses some important aspects of bioinorganic chemistry, including interactions of organisms with metallic and nonmetallic elements and compounds. Indicates that many environmental problems are created by human exploitation of nature and technologies if studied from a bioinorganic chemical viewpoint. (CC)

Provides a comprehensive course syllabus for a semester course in environmental history which investigates human attitudes toward nature and the response they evoke to environmental issues. Includes weekly topics, reading assignments, course format and requirements, and essay topics. (Author/DC)

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the appropriation of the sociocultural perspective by the physics education research community has represented a linguistic turn in the field, pointing out a promising path to overcome the dominance of the "individual paradigm," both in terms of student learning and initial and continuing teacher…

Discusses the philosophy of science and education, based on interviews with instructors at Wrigley Corners Outdoor Education Centre (Ontario). Uses hand feeding of chickadees as functional and metaphorical gateway for exploring importance of human contact with nature. Discusses how the personal transformative aspect of outdoor education challenges…

Field of education is associated with herculean task and innate responsibility of escorting societies forward. Across space and time, it has been an unambiguous synthesis that education should precede any progress or change. It helps humans to understand themselves and better their interaction with rest of the society. Hence the field of education…

In this article, the environmental content of the textbooks used for the teaching of natural sciences in Greek primary schools was examined. Specifically, by employing the method of content analysis, both representational (metaphors, depictions, values, etc.) and cognitive ecological concepts) elements, building images of nature, and shaping our…

Asserts that physics should be taught to stress the human aspects of laws of nature and scientific application of physical concepts. (CP)