Modelling the growth of scientific knowledge

The application of cognitive approaches to the design of science learning environments puts additional pressure on science teachers to coordinate science lessons. A particularly difficult task for science teachers is linking the data and evidence from laboratory and practicals to the knowledge claims contained in science texts and statements of scientific theories. We argue that teachers need models to guide them in the planning and implementation of lessons that link data to theory. Four 'Growth of Knowledge Frameworks' (GKF) derived from philosophical perspectives on the nature of scientific knowledge are presented. The GKFs facilitate the inclusion of epistemic and cognitive strategies that characterize science as a unique way of knowing.