Nature of Science

This article discusses the fundamental importance of understanding the Nature of Science (NOS) in achieving scientific literacy, particularly in the context of the Next Generation Science St... See More

This article discusses the fundamental importance of understanding the Nature of Science (NOS) in achieving scientific literacy, particularly in the context of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Scientific literacy involves not only knowledge of scientific facts but also an understanding of the nature and development of scientific knowledge. The NGSS highlights the integration of NOS within its dimensions of science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts. The passage emphasizes that NOS is critical for individuals to make informed decisions about scientifically based personal and societal issues. Despite the challenges in teaching NOS, the passage argues that it must be made visible during instruction, and it provides examples of how specific aspects of NOS, such as the variety of scientific investigation methods, can be explicitly integrated into science instruction.