First Advisor

William Becker

Term of Graduation

Spring 2000

Date of Publication

5-4-2000

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Teaching in General Science

Language

English

Subjects

Physics teachers, Physics -- Study and teaching, Science -- Study and teaching, Science -- Aesthetics

Physical Description

1 online resource (iv, 94 pages)

Abstract

Educators have struggled to find an appropriate and efficacious method to engage students of science in their classrooms and lecture halls, This investigation presents a theoretical foundation for the use of aesthetic criteria when teaching physics in high school or undergraduate settings and suggests that this may be an effective learning tool. The relationship between science aesthetics and science literacy is pursued here. Included in this study are discussions of the applications of aesthetic judgement by theoretical physicists in the 20th century and and methods for bringing a dialogue concerning natural philosophy and beauty in the science classroom. While many writers have viewed science as being antithetical to beauty, this study finds they are quite linked.

This project includes a historical and philosophical narrative of the constructivist classroom as an environment for science study and includes references to critics of this approach. Presented here is an original pedagogical approach to the critical thinking skills beauty and creativity can foster in the students of science. Likewise, a review of the history of science literacy in the schools and constructivist practices in museums of science presented.

Of additional concern is the use of pseudoscience to address the meaningful questions generated by the public. Aesthetic criteria are revealed to be intertwined with hermeneutics and a deeper longing to understand the natural world. In order to explore this connection further, this project includes a review of recent literature from the science and pseudoscience community that addresses these issues.

This study suggests that pseudoscience can be viewed as a valuable tool for the creation of scientists, if classrooms include a critical and parallel review of scientific and pseudoscientific practices. Therefore, one should promote, rather than "debunk" pseudoscientific claims as these claims unintentionally work to promote and reinforce a realist view of science.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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Comments

Degree Name is "Master of Science in Teaching in Science".

Department is "Center for Science Education".

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44813

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