New Book from U of A Professor Offers Nature of Science Knowledge from 65 Authors

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Bill McComas

A new book by University of Arkansas distinguished professor William McComas offers educators various ways to share knowledge development in science with multiple audiences.

The book, Nature of Science in Science Instruction, (Springer Publishers) features 39 chapters written by a total of 65 authors from more than a dozen countries.

"This will be a helpful resource to anyone with an interest in learning more about or improving instruction in 'how science works' — the domain called nature of science," said McComas, who holds the Parks Family Endowed Professorship in Science Education in the College of Education and Health Professions. "It is designed for those involved directly in science instruction and individuals working in teacher preparation and enhancement."

The book reflects the most recent thinking in nature of science and features the work of both well-established scholars and those new to the field, McComas said.

"The primary aim of the book is to provide curriculum examples that will move the conversation about nature of science (NOS) instruction from a focus on why we should teach this content and what elements we should include in the science curriculum to the more pressing question of how to teach this interesting but complex topic," McComas said.

Nature of Science in Science Instruction provides a complete introduction to the history and purpose of NOS and offers tested strategies for teaching its elements in a variety of instructional settings.

The first section is designed for those new to the topic and examines the why and what of nature of science. The second section focuses on extending that knowledge to include questions of scientific method, theory-laden observation, the role of experiments and observations and distinctions between science, engineering and technology. The remainder of the book focuses on teaching aspects of NOS in a wide variety of instructional environments.

McComas directs the Project to Advance Science Education at the U of A and is the editor of The American Biology Teacher. He teaches classes in educational research methods, curriculum design, the history and philosophy of science for science educators, issues in science education, advanced science teaching methods and coordinates The Darwin Seminar, an interdisciplinary class for honors undergraduates to be offered this spring. 

He was previously a biology and physical science teacher in suburban Philadelphia and professor at the University of Southern California. McComas holds a doctorate in science education from the University of Iowa.