Science Teachers’ Views on Nature of Scientific Inquiry

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine in-service science teachers’ views on nature of scientific inquiry and the possible reasons that led to these views. This study was designed as a multi-case study. 22 middle school science teachers who are currently working in various national education schools in Turkey, voluntarily participated in this study. The data were collected online through the open-ended VASI questionnaire and the follow-up semi-structured interviews, and were holistically analyzed with content analysis. According to the analysis, it was seen that the teachers who participated in this study generally had naive and mix views about the nature of scientific inquiry. It has been observed that these opinions of teachers vary depending on their education level, the courses they took in undergraduate and graduate terms, and the quality of education in in-service training. For example, the teachers who continue their master's and doctorate education in science education have quite an informed view. With this study, it is recommended to give importance to scientific inquiry in teacher training programs and in-service courses, and to encourage teachers to pursue graduate education in the field of science education.