Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Enhancing student-teachers' understanding of nature of science and scientific inquiry through a case study of the scientific research in severe acute respiratory syndrome

Interviews with key scientists involved in research on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports and documentaries produced during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry. This...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of science education Vol. 30; no. 11; pp. 1417 - 1439
Main Authors Wong, Siu Ling, Hodson, Derek, Kwan, Jenny, Yung, Benny Hin Wai
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Routledge 03.09.2008
Subjects
Communicable Diseases
Documentaries
Familiarity
Foreign Countries
Hong Kong
Information Technology
Inquiry
Instructional Materials
Interviews
Medical Research
Molecular Biology
Public Health
Science Education
Science History
Scientific Principles
Scientific Research
Scientists
Teacher Education
Hong Kong
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Summary:Interviews with key scientists involved in research on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports and documentaries produced during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry. This novel insight into practice in the rapidly growing field of molecular biology was used in the development of instructional materials for use in the pre-service and in-service teacher education programme at The University of Hong Kong. The elements of NOS and scientific inquiry identified in the scientific research on SARS were explicitly emphasized in our instructional materials. The contemporary real-life context of SARS was found to be effective in promoting student-teachers' understanding of NOS and scientific inquiry, particularly in terms of: the realization of inseparable links between science and the social, cultural, and political environment; deeper understanding of how science and technology impact on each other; and a richer appreciation of the processes of authentic scientific inquiry and the humanistic character of scientists. The effectiveness is attributed to immediacy, relevance, and familiarity, making the abstract tangible, personal experience of science history, and the powerful affective impact of the interviews with scientists.
ISSN:0950-0693
1464-5289
DOI:10.1080/09500690701528808