Science, epistemology, and learning: An observational study of teachers' presentation of science in secondary classrooms

The way science knowledge is presented has implications for student learning and engagement. The aim of this study was to describe how seven secondary science teachers presented the nature of science during classroom laboratory exercises. Constructs derived from a synthesis of science education literature provided an observational framework for studying and understanding dimensions of epistemic presentation in classrooms. A framework derived from these constructs was applied to ninth-grade lab sessions videotaped in introductory and biological science classes. Results for each construct are presented along with an analysis of their relationships to one another based on evidence from the observations. Suggestions for modifications of the observation framework are also discussed.