IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
5.1 SUMMARY OF STUDY FINDINGS
Inthis section the findings of this study will be presented as answers to the research questions.Itwill conclude with answers to the main research question by providing nature of science beliefs of typical grade 10 learners.
To what extent,
if
any, are the learners' nature ofscience views consistent with contemporary views and with those of Curriculum 2005?Ingeneral the learners held the following contemporary views of nature of science shared by the scientific community and present in curriculum 2005: Scientific knowledge grows slowly as new evidence challenges existing theories; science has limitations in that it can explain only certain aspects of reality; different cultures have contributed to our understanding of the world and the advancement of science;
scientific inquiry is a continual and cyclic process of testing ideas by means of experiments since scientific knowledge has basis in empirical evidence; new science knowledge claims arise from social negotiations among scientists and must undergo critical peer scrutiny.
However closer probing using the open format questionnaire revealed that many learners had mixed or superficial beliefs about the value of African science, the use of creativity for the invention of explanations and models and, the role of society in science. These findings lend some support to the claims of Ayayee and McCarthy (1996), Bell et al. (2003), Dekkers (2006), Lederman (1992) and Ryan and Aikenhead (1992) that learners have few contemporary conceptions although sometimes
misguided. Nevertheless the value of African science is not explicitly mentioned in nature of science studies and needs further research.
There were certain conceptions that were clearly not consistent with
contemporary views. Firstly, most learners possessed the traditional conception of a single scientific method with experimentation as the only means of explaining observations. A review of the literature has revealed that this perception is pervasive among learners. Secondly, learners did not show clear understanding of the internal and external sociology of science. They exhibited a positivist image for this theme and did not exhibit the contemporary conception that scientists' personal values, discipline- centered values and the demands of society are part of the context of doing science.
Similar results were reported in the literature. Thirdly, learners believe that only certain types of scientific knowledge are tentative. The literature shows that this is a common belief among learners. Itappears as if our learners hold views very similar to those found throughout the world (Bady, 1979; Bell et al. 2003; Lederman, 1992; Liu&
Lederman, 2002; Ryan& Aikenhead, 1992; Tsai, 1999).
Do different gender and cultural groups possess different views on nature ofscience?
There were differences in views between groups for certain conceptions of nature of science. There were a significant differences between the genders where females seemed to hold more contemporary views for the following aspects: the provisional nature of scientific theories; the multicultural nature of scientific knowledge;
systematic testing and replication of results; co-operation and collaboration among scientists. There was a minor difference between the genders regarding hypothesis and predictions and the rejection of new ideas in science. There were also significant differences between Indian and Black learners for certain conceptions of nature of science. Indian learners seemed to have stronger beliefs in the diversity of scientific thinking and the inventive nature (creativity) of explanations and models; critical peer
review; the limitations of science in that it cannot answer all questions and, the influence of political and social forces on research compared to Black learners.
However Black learners appeared to have contemporary views pertaining to the value of non-western science knowledge compared to Indian learners. There were minor differences between the cultures for hypothesis and predictions in science.
Views oftypical learners
Taking the above into consideration what can be said is believed by typical grade 10 physical science learners. They would agree with the scientific community that scientific knowledge grows by being corrected slowly when existing theories are re- evaluated; science cannot explain all observations; new knowledge claims in science arise out of cooperation and collaboration among scientists and are subject to critical peer review; scientific inquiry has an empirical base and involves cyclic critical testing of ideas which value precision, rigor, evidence, logic, and good arguments; different people from different cultures have contributed to scientific knowledge; imagination is used in the planning and conduction of scientific investigations.
They would disagree with the scientific community on the following: There are many methods or scientific approaches to generate reliable explanations for
observations; empirical evidence is interpreted based on current scientific practices as well as personal subjectivity due to scientists' values, knowledge, and prior
experiences which may result in different interpretations for the same event or observation; science is not value neutral and scientists are no less biased than others are; human creativity and imagination is used in the invention of explanations and theoretical models; African science has also contributed to scientific knowledge;
scientific facts, theories and laws are all tentative; political and social forces (the demands of society) have a strong influence on what scientists research.
When dealing with males and females there would be slight differences in their views. Females would have stronger beliefs with regard to: the tentative nature of scientific theories; the cross-cultural nature of scientific knowledge; repetition to validate results and, collaboration and cooperation among scientists. Indian and Black learners would also have slightly different views. Indian learners would have stronger beliefs about critical peer review of findings, government and societal influence on research, the use of creativity and imagination to invent scientific explanations and models, limitations of science and, the diversity of scientific thinking. Black learners would value both African science and western science while Indian learners would place a greater value on western science.