Students’ Understanding of the Nature of Science in the Context of an Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory

摘要

This study focused on exploring and evaluating students’ views of the Nature of Science in thecontext of undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Thirty-six undergraduate students doing a laboratorycourse in upper division physical chemistry were assessed using an open-ended instrument andassessment criteria that categorise them in three levels of understanding. Results revealed that ingeneral, the undergraduate students have transitional views of the nature of science, a level betweenna?ve and informed views. The findings led to a substantiated argument for incorporating the natureof science in undergraduate science curricula.