Knowing, Believing, and Understanding: What Goals for Science Education?

Autor/inn/en	Smith, Mike U.; Siegel, Harvey
Titel	Knowing, Believing, and Understanding: What Goals for Science Education?
Quelle	In: Science & Education, 13 (2004) 6, S.553-582 (30 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0926-7220
DOI	10.1023/B:SCED.0000042848.14208.bf
Schlagwörter	Science Education; Definitions; Student Attitudes; Educational Objectives; Scientific Concepts; Educational Philosophy; Teaching Methods; Beliefs; Science Instruction; Controversial Issues (Course Content) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Begriffsbestimmung; Schülerverhalten; Educational objective; Bildungsziel; Erziehungsziel; Bildungsphilosophie; Erziehungsphilosophie; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Belief; Glaube; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Controversial issues; Kontroverse
Abstract	What is a teacher to do when confronted with a student who says "I understand that theory (e.g., evolution), but I don't believe it"? The purpose of this article is to provide a rationale for answering this question. First we describe the various ways in which the terms "know/knowledge" and "believe/belief" are used and summarize the distinctions commonly used to differentiate between these terms. Second, we propose that the primary goal of science education should be "student knowledge and understanding", which we will argue typically (but not always) involves belief and typically (but not always) guides action. In those instances where a student evidences a meaningful understanding but still disbelieves, we further propose that the appropriate goal is for students to believe that the theory in question affords the best current scientific account of the relevant phenomena based on the available empirical evidence. Third, we evaluate instructional procedures for addressing the issues of knowledge, belief, and understanding recommended by recent authors before providing our own suggestions to teachers that we hope will be both more philosophically sound and more effective in the classroom. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10