Week Two: The Nature of Science

Full disclosure, my opinion of scientists is heavily influenced by the fact my sister and my cousin work in labs and my uncle is a professor of astronomy at Dartmouth. My perception of scientists has been shaped by knowing so many different ones. Using books and other resources like YouTube and guests, I would convey that scientists are like any other person. I would also teach the students that being a scientist is about doing certain things. Science is not scary, science is fun.

 

The results from profile show that I edge towards a balanced approach in the delivery of science. I do feel as though science does not explain everything, but that it can explain a lot of the world around us. Science is not something to be feared, but something to be viewed sceptically and something that should involve questioning everything because that is how science works. There is no certainty in science and that should be reflected in how the lessons are delivered. Evidence should be presented, but students should be taught to form opinions and question what is being presented to them as absolute fact. In science, there are no facts, just proven assumptions that get tested again and again until a new theory has been tested and proven. Even then, not everyone will agree and experiments will be run to re-prove or disprove the theory. This is all part of good science.