NOS

I thought that the best way to begin a discussion on Science was to tackle the part that most elementary and Middle School teachers have the most difficulty with. The "Nature of Science" is often lost on those without a formal Science degree and, in some cases, a B.Sc. is no guarantee that one has a grasp of the what and how of science.

A paper by Lederman et al, (2002), in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, the concept of NOS was broken down into several categories. I would like to explore those here. Hopefully it will serve to stir discussion among our teachers as well as to reaffirm my own knowledge.

Empirical Nature of Science

Not all Science is based on direct measurement of observable phenomena. Often, what we see as results is filtered through intricate intrummentation or apparatus. Because of our assumptions about the effectiveness of our instruments, we also make assumptions about the observations we record.

There is a subtle difference here between fact and inference. If I see it directly, then I can say with authority that it happened. As soon as I attach some significance or meaning to it, I stray from the world of fact as I apply my own personal filters to it. My background, beliefs and training, will determine how I interpret the facts I gather. Lets be honest, two researchers can look at the same data and generate completely different conclusions. And so much of Science is predicated on inference.

This isnt necessarily bad. There are some phenomena that can only be studied by exploiting the effect they have on their surroundings. For example, gravity is measured by measuring its effects on other things (falling bodies etc.). The atom and its structure cannot be seen even under the best microscope so we gather inferences about its structure by bombarding it with particles and watching what it does. The atoms behavior under these circumstances along with our assumptions about the nature of the particles we are using shape our view of atomic structure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider

Just because we cannot see something, does not mean we can study it amd make some conclusions about its nature. Finding ways to do this requires creativity and ingenuity equal to that found in any discipline.

Lederman, N.G., Fouad, A., Bell, R.L., and Schwatrz, R., 2002. The nature of science Questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners' conceptions of nature of science. J Res. Sci. Teach. 39(6) p. 497 - 521.