The Nature of Science (NOS) and its role in science education

Abstract

Science denial has a long history in the narrative of humanity’s past, which has been extended even more widely by the explosion of information resulting from the use of digital tools. The rapid flow of the load of information, which is often inauthentic and can lack a scientific or professional background, has made society insecure and it has shaken its confidence in natural sciences. In addition, it intensified the spread of anti-science views (Schäfer & Metag, 2021). The educational system needs to provide solutions to these negative processes as soon as possible. Familiarizing people with the development and characteristics of scientific knowledge can provide a solution against social denial and the crisis of science, which is dealt with by Nature of Science - NOS. The appearance of NOS and its research in the international curriculum has been increasing in the past 30 years. Although some Hungarian works are available (e.g. Korom & Nagy, 2021), NOS has not been comprehensively elaborated in Hungary yet. Therefore, based on international literature, this study aims to present the interpretation of NOS and overview those measuring instruments that can be used to evaluate its understanding. In addition, the present study intents to show the importance and position of NOS in science education.