Everyday Thoughts about Nature: A Worldview Investigation of Important Concepts Students Use to Make Sense of Nature with Specific Attention of Scienc (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780792363446)

Dr. Olcbee Lee SchoolofEducation, UniversityofMiami Coral Gables, Florida 33124 I remember my excitement and appreciation several years ago when I first read World View Theory and Science Education Research by Bill Cobern (1991). It was a comprehensive, theoretical discussion ofworldview theory in science education. I am delighted to see that Cobern has taken the next step to provide empirical accountsofworldview in Everyday Thoughts about Nature. . The primary goal of the book is to understand how typical- ninth grade students and their science teachers think about Nature or the natural world, and how their thoughts are related to science. In pursuing this goal, the book raises a basicquestion about the purpose ofscienceeducationfor the public: Should science education seek to educate "scientific thinkers" in the pattern of the science teachers? Or, should science education seek to foster sound science learning within the matrices ofvari- ous cultural perspectives? (p. 3) The answer to this question becomes clear, thanks to Cobern's excellent research and persuasivearguments. First, this research takes a humanistic approach in understanding what students and teachers think about Nature "through the language and ideas voluntarily expressed" (p. I). The research used multi- directional prompts and encouraged students and teachers to speak freely and at length in any directions they wished. This humanistic approach is stated clearly: "[T]he research seeks to illuminate some of the various ways in which students think aboutNature withoutjudging eventhe most unorthodox perspectives" (p. 14).

Author: W. W. Cobern
ISBN-10: 0792363442
ISBN-13: 9780792363446
Publisher: Springer
Language: English
Published: 06/30/2000
Pages: 166
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.44d