Nature of Science in Science Instruction: Meaning, Advocacy, Rationales, and Recommendations

This chapter features discussion of the term “nature of science” (NOS) as it pertains to the ways in which NOS might inform plans for science teaching and learning. Included are thoughts about how we know what we know about the operation of science, historical recommendations, and trends regarding the inclusion of NOS in science instruction, along with rationales to support the inclusion of NOS content in the science classroom. The chapter concludes with a brief overview of research-based challenges and recommendations regarding NOS instruction and some thoughts about the future of NOS instruction.