Nealey, Janeé

Content Knowledge Reflection

My student teaching has been in 3rd grade general science, 9th grade environmental

science, and 10th grade biology. As vast as my experiences are, science is even broader. In my

Nature of Science course, I have learned the traits that defines science throughout its multiple

disciplines. Although certain aspects are revealed more depending on the subject, science has

general qualities that separates it from other disciplines. These qualities are often misinterpreted

or unknown by students.

The foundation of Nature of Science is built upon scientific theories. Kuhn (1970) views

science as shifting “truths” or paradigms. Because truth is subjective, facts are in the eye of the

beholder. Continued research, new evidence, and technology all can alter what theory is seen as

truth. Science has to be flexible, because of its constant shifting. Kuhn proposes that modern

science needs to be adjusted, in order to allow more room for new theories to be discovered and

described. Rather than viewing current theories as governing laws, theories should be viewed as

predecessors, with developments already underway.

On the subject of “truth”, Chalmers (2013) claims that science is not special; rather,

science is based on observations which vary based on the observer. According to Chalmers, there

is a single Truth—a world that exists—observations approach but do not always succumb to said

truth. Chalmers places great emphasis on the body’s senses. Human senses are how we engage in

science. Incorporating that into my classroom, labs and hands-on activities (not just related to

touch, but to sight, sound, and even taste) are necessary for students to participate in science.

Agreeing with Kuhn’s idea of flexibility, Chalmers believes science is based on facts, but facts

can change.
Nealey, Janeé

Science is more about what is unknown that what is known. Firestein (2012) claims that

questions are more relevant than answers. In science, ignorance is more than bliss; ignorance is a

driving force for the entire field. Ignorance is possibility. It is the confines of the future. As

robust as one’s ignorance is as robust as one’s opportunity.

In science, questions are more relevant than answers. Questions represent the

conceptualization of ignorance. Being aware of what we do not know is a major precursor to

future invention. The future cannot be predicted, but it can be fostered into a fertile present time.

Modern scientists have a responsibility to cultivate ignorance. Ignorance keeps science going; it

is a beginning for new discovery.

Firestein used two metaphors to describe ignorance. One metaphor were the ripples on

the water’s surface. Scientists are the ripples are gradually increasing in diameter, trying to reach

the “unknown” of the water surface—ignorance. Another Firestein metaphor was the horizon.

Scientists should be increasing ignorance and moving the horizon. There is infinitely more work

to do.

In education, science is not as accessible as Firestein proclaims to want. The media

focuses on “successful” science, or science that has a prominent discovery. Firestein coins this as

“finding the black cat in a dark room”. Science is full of dark rooms, and those empty rooms

should still be viewed as successful. At the sake of repetition, ignorance is a driving force of the

field. Students see science as “pass or fail”. In this heavily graded system, students may not see

the positivity in “dark rooms with no black cats.” Any student that can think of questions has the

foundation to be a scientist. Science education should be curiosity-driven, rather than grades-

drive, confirmation-driven, and hypothesis-driven.

Nealey, Janeé

References:

Chalmers, A. F. (2013). What is this thing called science?. Indianapolis : Hackett Publishing

Company, Inc.

Firestein, S. (2012). Ignorance : how it drives science. New York : Oxford University Press.

Kuhn, T. S. (1970). The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago, IL: The University of

Chicago Press.