Teachers' Conceptions About Science and Pseudoscience

Critical thinking, epistemological beliefs, and the science-pseudoscience distinction among teachers

“…When an individual accepts information directly without checking it, it indicates that s/he is more likely to accept pseudoscientific claims as fact. It is argued in relevant literature that the positivist perspective, which is accepted as a traditional understanding of science, represents a limited understanding (Karaman, 2023). Essentially, this limited understanding of science contradicts the constructivist view of science, which holds that scientific knowledge is subjective, temporary, and evolving.…”

“…As opposed to science, pseudoscience avoids making risky predictions that can be disproven empirically. Progress in science is achieved by eliminating scientific theories that have been proven false and strengthening those which resist refutation (Karaman, 2023).…”

“…To achieve this, teachers should introduce their students to science representations in accordance with contemporary education standards. It is the teacher's responsibility to protect students from all kinds of unscientific claims and pseudoscientific thoughts and to expose them to a realistic understanding of science (Karaman, 2023). This means that teachers with advanced scientific beliefs can make a significant contribution to educating students who are science-literate, who understand what science is, how it is done, and how scientific knowledge is constructed and justified (Metin et al, 2020).…”

“…Thus, it is crucial to find out how teachers perceive the difference between science and pseudoscience. A review of the relevant literature reveals that most studies examine preservice teachers' science and pseudoscience beliefs (Fuertes-Prieto et al, 2020;Losh & Nzekwe, 2011) as well as in-service science teachers (Karaman, 2023;Solbes et al, 2018); therefore, there are limited studies on teachers from different disciplines. Because students will interact with teachers from a variety of disciplines throughout their education life, it is important to examine the science and pseudoscience beliefs of teachers from different disciplines (Losh & Nzekwe, 2011).…”

Sınıf Öğretmenlerinin Bilimin Doğasına Yönelik Düşüncelerinin İncelenmesi

“…Bu tanım göz önüne alındığında öğretmenlerin ve öğrencilerin belirtilen şekilde bir bilim anlayışına sahip olmaları beklenir. Çünkü insanların bilimin doğru bir imajını benimsemelerine yardımcı olmak, toplumların kalkınmasında ve refahında öncü rolü üstlenmektedir (Karaman, 2022). Bu nedenle bilim ile ilgili yanlışların belirlenmesi ve giderilmesi önemlidir.…”