Some Reflections on “Going Beyond the Consensus View” of the Nature of Science in K–12 Science Education

Hodson and Wong (2017, this issue) argue that, though the nature of science (NOS) is now an established focus of school science education and a key element in defining scientific literacy, “the consensus view” of NOS misrepresents contemporary scientific practice. They then propose a number of alternative approaches to science curriculum building. I agree with Hodson and Wong's criticism of the consensus view of NOS. I also like many aspects of their proposals and believe that they would enrich the curriculum and present students with a much more realistic picture of science. But I have an important reservation about these proposals. Hodson and Wong's view of NOS is largely ahistorical in that they seem to focus only on contemporary science. Such a focus may lead to a distorted picture of science and its history, portraying science as little more than a mirror image of contemporary science. In order to understand the nature of science, it is vital to learn its history. I conclude by briefly commenting on the role that the history, philosophy, and sociology of science should play in shaping a vision for science education that would inspire creativity, open-mindedness, critical thinking, and respect for different cultures and conceptions of the world. © 2017 Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto.