Student Conceptions of the Nature of Science

The nature of science has evolved in the last century due to the complex and dynamic nature of the scientific knowledge. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an active member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and may become a strong partner for the European Union (EU) in a number of domains. In its recent country report debriefing, the European Union (EU, 2012) introduced the report by stating that the UAE has the most open and diversified economy in the region. This chapter provides extensive literature review of the nature of science (NOS), its connection to science education, student understanding, pedagogy and inquiry instruction, and professional development. It also presents major results of a study on UAE students' conceptions of NOS. Finally, it concludes by critical discussion and implication of multicultural contexts.