THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

"Over the course of human history, people have developed many interconnected and validated ideas about the physical, biological and social worlds. Those ideas have enabled successive generations to achieve an increasingly comprehensive and reliable understanding of the human species and its environment. The means used to develop these ideas are particular ways of observing, thinking, experimenting and validating. These ways represent a fundamental aspect of the nature of science and reflect how science tends to differ from other modes of knowing." (Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Oxford University Press, 1993)

When asking science teachers what is it that they teach, it is not uncommon for the response to be a list of content topics such as electricity, plants or weather. Most teachers know that science instruction is much more than a presentation of topics; that it includes "the ability to inquire, the capacity to use scientific principles to make decisions and the ability to communicate effectively about science."( National Science Education Standards, National Research Council, 1996) The CAPT assesses science literacy by asking students to apply their knowledge of science content and scientific principles.

        Curriculum alignment issues, modification of student assessments/tests, instructional strategies and student preparation are discussed in this section of the handbook in order to provide guidelines to science coordinators, district administrators and teachers in their efforts to improve science literacy and student performance on the science subtest of the CAPT.

 

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