Amherst College: Teaching the Nature of Science

Our Philosophy

avenne — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:41:09 +0000

Our Philosophy Alfred J. Venne Thursday, 7/15/2021, at 3:41 PM

The Beneski Museum is dedicated to:

Preserving and interpreting the physical evidence of the geological history of the Earth, the evolutionary history of its inhabitants, and the processes that have shaped both through time
Providing direct experience with the materials and former inhabitants of the Earth
Challenging visitors to consider problems of scientific interpretation
Stimulating the scientific curiosity and observational acuity of students and scholars, fostering in them a spirit of inquiry, stewardship and wonder toward the Earth

In order to effectively accomplish these goals, the Museum in 2018 partnered with the Amherst College Science Center to employ the Seven Tenets of the Nature of Science (as outlined by Lederman, Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, & Schwartz, 2002; Osborne, Collins, Ratcliffe, Millar, & Duschl, 2003; Bell 2009). Below, each tenet is detailed and explained showing how it is intrinsic to the educational philosophy of the Beneski Museum. In all programming and educational materials, the museum hopes to convey to visitors not only the vast collection of scientific knowledge (facts), but also the process and understanding of the Nature of Science itself (systems). Additionally the museum wishes to help improve scientific literacy, inspiring in visitors a desire to learn and explore, and empowering them to push the frontier of what is possible.

The Seven Tenets of the Nature of Science

avenne — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:39:59 +0000

The Seven Tenets of the Nature of Science Alfred J. Venne Thursday, 7/15/2021, at 3:39 PM

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Creativity - Being creative is necessary to understand scientific research in novel and interesting ways. The sciences and humanities interact more than most people think. Science is not possible without imagination. In every stage of the process, from idea to experiment, creativity drives inspiration and innovation. Science is also often abstract, and thinking outside the box helps us wrap our heads around complex concepts. When science and arts intersect, we achieve the most progress.

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Curiosity - Beginners and long-time scientists must remain curious to understand science.

Derived from the concept “tentativeness,” curiosity describes both the drive for and inherent skepticism of scientific discovery. Scientists are constantly building upon each other’s work, using solutions derived by peers to ask new questions. Some generally accepted ideas have lasted for hundreds of years, so it is reasonable to have confidence in their validity, but new innovations are always approached with some apprehension. We are always learning, and there is always more out there. Curiosity keeps us going.

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Observation and Inference - Taking in the world around you, you can learn so much.

Observations involve the five senses. Using physical information, we draw conclusions we can all agree on. Inferences often rely on information not directly available to the senses; we find explanations for what we observe. Science is much more than just a collection of observations, it also requires inferred interpretations.

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Scientific Laws and Theories - Research is based on laws and theories to discover new horizons.

In science, laws are descriptions of observable phenomena. They are often expressed in empirical terms. Theories, conversely, refer to inferred explanations that have been widely accepted by the scientific community. Laws and theories are importantly distinct from one another, and are not interchangeable. They both require substantial supporting evidence, but can be adapted in light of new information or discoveries.

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Objectivity and Subjectivity - Science may be based on objective laws, but interpretations are subjective.

There are infinite factors that can affect a scientist's biases. From institutional affiliation to religious belief, from race to gender, from societal values to personal ones, scientists must always be aware of external influences affecting their practices and conclusions. Though scientists are tentative of new developments and employ measures to hold themselves accountable and improve objectivity (like peer-review), subjectivity can never be fully disregarded.

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Empirical Evidence - Discoveries must be based in evidence, and new evidence revises existing scientific knowledge.

Empirical Evidence is evidence that can be directly observed and obtained using our senses or through experimental procedure. Some scientific concepts lean toward the theoretical, but they must be rooted in observational or experimental data to be accepted. Challenging existing conceptions is only possible when supported by qualitative or quantitative empirical evidence.

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Scientific Methods - All scientific research is based on the process of asking a question, designing an experiment, and coming to a conclusion.

Though there are many different ways scientists practice their work and develop bodies of information, observations and experiments must be replicable. Scientists have to outline their methods so that another scientist could try the same thing and draw the same conclusions. This way, we check each other's work and have more faith in new developments. The scientific method is often viewed as an independent practice, but it is intrinsically collaborative.

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 12:00:00 +0000|July 15, 2021

Moving Forward

avenne — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:37:10 +0000

Moving Forward Alfred J. Venne Thursday, 7/15/2021, at 3:37 PM

The Nature of Science invites everyone into the conversation. Science is not an absolute, empirical, unchanging body of knowledge, it is a process of understanding and a collection of conclusions developed collaboratively over time. By teaching the Nature of Science itself, explicitly, in addition to scientific methods and facts, the field can better be appreciated with an enhanced respect for the utility of science in large-scale decision making; everyone can think like a scientist.

Before, during, and after visiting the Museum, educators are encouraged to address these key concepts. Link them to the skills developed in the classroom (like observation, inference, investigation, experimentation, conclusion) and to the histories of the objects on display at Beneski. If you have any questions, please email Museum Educator Fred Venne or Dalya Ackerman ‘23 for more information and a list of resources.

Developed using Teaching the Nature of Science: Three Critical Questions by Randy L. Bell, Ph.D.