If We Teach Them, They Can Learn: Young Students Views of Nature of Science Aspects to Early Elementary Students During an Informal Science Education Program

Source: Journal of Science Teacher Education, Volume 21, Number 7, 887-907. (November, 2010).

The goal of this study was to investigate how explicit-reflective instruction could improve young students’ understanding of Nature of Science (NOS).

During an informal education setting, the authors taught NOS aspects using explicit-reflective instruction.

Overall the students participating in the program improved their understanding of the target aspects of NOS through use of explicit reflective instruction.
However, the levels of improvement varied across different aspects.
Students improved the most in their understanding of the tentative nature of science and the roles of observation in scientific work, although there was still some confusion regarding the distinction between observation and inference.