Learning about nature of science in undergraduate biology laboratories

Abstract

The use of explicit and reflective (ER) instruction to promote student nature of science (NOS) understanding has emerged as the best practice in science classrooms. Despite this, teaching explicitly about NOS rarely occurs in college science courses. College lecture courses typically focus on conceptual learning objectives, while laboratories, usually taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), focus on conceptual and procedural learning objectives. Although colleges increasingly use inquiry-based investigations, some still rely on expository investigations. We experimentally explored the use of an ER instruction in inquiry and expository biology laboratories to determine if this technique would be successful in a college science environment. We found that GTAs' ability to foster meaningful class discussions was an important factor in effective implementation of an ER instruction at the college level. Our chapter relates our experiences to others interested in fostering NOS understanding in students in their college classes.