Thai and Bangladeshi in-service science teachers' conceptions of nature of science: A comparative study

To become a scientifically literate person, learners "should develop an understanding of the concepts, principles, theories, and processes of science, and an awareness of the complex relationships between science, technology, and society ... [and] more important[ly] ... an understanding of nature of science" (Abd-El-Khalick & BouJaoude, 1997, p. 673). Therefore, an adequate understanding of nature of science (NOS) is widely accepted as one desirable characteristic for learners and included in many science curricula worldwide. Driver, Leach, Miller, and Scott (1996) support the inclusion of NOS as a goal of science instruction because NOS enhances learning of science content, understanding of science, interest in science, decision making in science-related issues, and science instructional delivery.

Science teachers are, therefore, responsible for helping learners attain an adequate understanding of NOS. However, numerous studies have shown that many science teachers possess an inadequate understanding of NOS. This situation might be harmful because teachers must have an understanding of what they are attempting to communicate to their students (Lederman, 1992). Without sufficient informed conceptions of NOS, science teachers cannot effectively address NOS in their classroom (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000). As Lederman (1992) noted, "the most important variables that influence students' beliefs about NOS are those specific instructional behaviours, activities, and decisions implemented within the context of a lesson" (p. 351). Promoting science teachers' understanding of NOS appears to be a prerequisite for effective NOS science teaching (McComas, Clough, & Almazroa, 1998). In addition, promoting NOS conceptions increases science teachers' efforts to integrate inquiry into their instruction by boosting their confidence in abilities to teach science through inquiry (Atar & Gallard, 2011). However, several studies reveal that many science teachers possess an inadequate, incoherent understanding of NOS (Abd-El-Khalick & BouJaoude, 1997; Lederman, 1992).

Because of the importance of NOS, as mentioned earlier, NOS had been included in many science curricula worldwide. In the Thai context, the first time that NOS had been explicitly mentioned in the basic education curriculum, was 2001 in, The Basic Education Curriculum B.E. 2544 (Ministry of Education, 2001). Since 2001, all science teachers are, therefore, responsible to teach NOS in their science classrooms. A decade ago, NOS was normally expected to take a strong root in science education in Thailand. However, many NOS studies conducted in Thailand revealed that many Thai science teachers displayed uninformed conceptions of NOS (Buaraphan, 2009a, 2009b; Buaraphan et al., 2009). In the same region, that is Southeast Asia, Bangladesh is on the move to explicitly include NOS in the national science curriculum. A comparative study of NOS conceptions held by science teachers in a country with the explicit inclusion of NOS (i.e. Thailand) and a country with implicit inclusion of NOS (i.e. Bangladesh) may provide some useful perspectives for science educators in cultivating NOS education in their countries.