The selection of content to teach nature of science and technology (part 2): A review from science curriculum and the PISA competence

• Main Authors: Vázquez–Alonso, Ángel, Manassero–Mas, María Antonia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de Cádiz 2012-01-01
• Series: Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias
• Subjects: naturaleza de la ciencia (y tecnología); currículos de ciencias; enseñanza y aprendizaje de naturaleza de la ciencia; selección de contenidos; nature of science (and technology); science curricula; teaching and learning of nature of science; curriculum content selection
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10498/14623

his study reviews school science curricula (with especial emphasis in the Spanish curriculum) and PISA scientific competence as sources of learning contents for the "nature of science" (and technology). This paper is the continuation of the first part that presented the investigation consensuses, which are deemed the crosscurricular guidelines. The paper aims to propose a framework that illuminates, contextualizes and clarifies the overall meaning of teaching the nature of science in light of the current Spanish science curricula. First, the specific contributions of some foreign curricula to formulate the consensual contents are displayed. Second, the perspectives and contributions of the scientific literacy competence from PISA framework and from the Spanish “knowledge and interaction with the physical world” competence are presented. Third, the nature of science (and technology) contents of the Spanish secondary and high school curricula are identified, and their design, organization and meaning are discussed within the Spanish curricula context. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and the difficulties for teaching these innovative issues on nature of science (and technology) are discussed, as a mean to motivate, raise awareness and help teachers to overcome them.