TY - JOUR

T1 - Naïve and informed views on the nature of scientific inquiry in large-scale assessments

T2 - Two sides of the same coin or different currencies?

AU - Nehring, Andreas

N1 - Funding Information: The authors cordially thank Jasmin Meyer, Jesco Schrader, Kristin Tscherning, Prof. Dr. Hans Bickes, Prof. Dr. Harald Gropengie?er, Prof. Dr. R?diger Tiemann, Prof. Dr. Annette Upmeier zu Belzen, and all participating students and teachers for the support during this study.

PY - 2020/3/10

Y1 - 2020/3/10

N2 - Many models in the field of epistemic cognition conceptualize students' views as being on a continuum between the poles of naïve and informed views. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to find out whether views on the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI views) should be conceptualized and quantitatively assessed in a more multiplistic manner, considering naïve and informed views in their own, separate dimensions. Based on a competence model defining three inquiry methods, we developed a Likert-scaled questionnaire containing 10 scales, each assessing one NOSI view. We administered the questionnaire to a sample of 802 students in the lower and upper levels of secondary school. Based on structural equation modeling, the analyses confirmed a 10-dimensional model, distinguishing between each naïve and informed views as the only adequate representation of the data. Latent class analysis and interview data revealed four profiles of NOSI views in the data, which differed with regard to their agreement or disagreement with different naïve and informed views. We interpret these findings as evidence that supports more multiplistic models, with relevance to conceptualizing, measuring, and fostering NOSI views. We derive future directions of nature of science and NOSI research linking basic and applied research using experimental studies.

AB - Many models in the field of epistemic cognition conceptualize students' views as being on a continuum between the poles of naïve and informed views. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to find out whether views on the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI views) should be conceptualized and quantitatively assessed in a more multiplistic manner, considering naïve and informed views in their own, separate dimensions. Based on a competence model defining three inquiry methods, we developed a Likert-scaled questionnaire containing 10 scales, each assessing one NOSI view. We administered the questionnaire to a sample of 802 students in the lower and upper levels of secondary school. Based on structural equation modeling, the analyses confirmed a 10-dimensional model, distinguishing between each naïve and informed views as the only adequate representation of the data. Latent class analysis and interview data revealed four profiles of NOSI views in the data, which differed with regard to their agreement or disagreement with different naïve and informed views. We interpret these findings as evidence that supports more multiplistic models, with relevance to conceptualizing, measuring, and fostering NOSI views. We derive future directions of nature of science and NOSI research linking basic and applied research using experimental studies.

KW - large-scale assessment

KW - latent class analysis

KW - nature of scientific inquiry

KW - questionnaire

KW - views in science education

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074021499&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/tea.21598

DO - 10.1002/tea.21598

M3 - Article

VL - 57

SP - 510

EP - 535

JO - Journal of Research in Science Teaching

JF - Journal of Research in Science Teaching

SN - 0022-4308

IS - 4

ER -