Author:

Keywords:

Science education, scientific heritage, nature of science

Abstract:

To increase the scientific literacy among high school students and stimulate their critical reflection about science, educating about the Nature of Science (NoS) is considered crucial. NoS entails a focus on the central epistemological underpinnings of science, such as its realm and limits, its levels of uncertainty, its biases and the reasons for its reliability. As botanical gardens and science museums provide proof of the scientific practice as such, they are a fertile soil to foster understanding of the NoS among a wide range of visitors and contribute to the scientific literacy of students. In this paper, (1) we explore how NoS can be addressed in science museums and botanical gardens, (2) we show how collaboration of the botanical garden with a zoological and history of science collection at the Ghent University Museum can lead to opportunities with regard to education about NoS, (3) discuss the importance of training of the educative personnel to obtain a focus on the NoS. (1) At least three distinct educational approaches can be discerned to address NoS in science museums and botanical gardens. (a) Abstract thinking activities, such as black box games prompting students to entangle unknown mechanisms, provide metaphors to visualize the scientific endeavour. (b) Hands-on scientific experiments allow discussing the scientific practice, observing plant organs for instance allows discussions about the reliability of observations and interpretations. (c) Stories on the history of science discoveries or technological innovations, such as the development of the microscope, allow reflecting upon the relation between technology and scientific knowledge. The scientific heritage provides a tangible starting point for this approach. (2) In an educational design research study at the Ghent University Museum, cooperation between the botanical garden, the zoological collection and the collection of scientific instruments allows to develop workshops eliciting understanding about NoS for high school students. Hereby, abstract, historic and experimental approaches are integrated to create hands-on experiments allowing high school students to take the role of historic scientists enabling them to experience key stages in scientific history with regard to the discovery of energy metabolism (e.g. photosynthesis, food pyramids). Not only do students carry out experiments regarding for instance the production of CO2, they also engage in discussion concerning the scientific practise. This case study shows that explicit attention to NoS proves important to induce understanding about NoS. (3) Reflection on NoS is fostered with students by using dialogue techniques based on the Socratic dialogue. As the role of the guide in eliciting reflection and instigating dialogue about NoS is crucial, educational personnel of the botanical garden and different science collections need training to elicit hands-on and minds-on teaching. We will explore which curriculum and training tools allow to professionalize the educative staff. Summarizing, we explore the role botanical gardens can play as centres of educational innovation with regard to the nature of science and discuss the educative opportunities arising from a closer collaboration between botanical gardens and science museums.