Pre-service teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science

Abstract

A questionnaire has been designed and validated to investigate the conceptions about science and its nature (NOS) among teachers in initial training, from whose results subsequent didactic interventions of teaching NOS in the classroom will be designed. The questionnaire, the sample (N = 385) and the validation procedure are described. The scale has a correct reliability and validity, so it is concluded that it can be useful for research related to this topic. A cluster analysis of the scale factor scores is also carried out, so as to segment the cases into groups of similar response profiles and to draw up «Teaching Types».