Science Education Students, Professor Discuss 'Nature of Science' at International Conference

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Silvia Imanda, top, and Lisa Wood, from left, Kim Murie and Peggy Ward made presentations to the International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group in Pittsburgh last month.

Four University of Arkansas doctoral students studying science education and their professor made presentations in June at the 12^th biennial conference of the International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group in Pittsburgh.

Silvia Imanda, one of the four students working on a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, focused on the concept of "nature of science" in a presentation she gave called "The Integrating of NOS Conceptions in a Nursing Simulation: Bringing NOS to Nursing Education."

Students Kim Murie, Peggy Ward and Lisa Wood gave a presentation called "Incorporating History and Nature of Science in Classroom Instruction Using Bernoulli's Principle as an Example."

William McComas, the Parks Family Professor of Science Education in the College of Education and Health Professions, explained that the nature of science is "a rich description of science, how it works, how scientists operate as a social group and how society itself both directs and reacts to scientific endeavors." The field includes aspects of history, sociology and philosophy of science.

McComas gave a presentation titled "The Nature of Science in the Science Standards, Science Curriculum and Teacher Preparation Programs of the United States."

A past president of the group, he addressed the governing council on matters related to publications and the sites of future meetings of the organization. More than 110 scholars from 22 countries attended the three-day meeting at the University of Pittsburgh. McComas and his students made up one of the largest groups from a single university at the conference.