An Assessment of Senior Secondary School In-Service Science Teachers’ Views of the Nature of Science

This study examined the views of nature of science (NOS) of secondary school in-service science teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, South-South, Nigeria, relative to experience and professional training. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population for the study comprised 211 secondary school in-service science teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, SouthSouth, Nigeria. A sample of 100 secondary school in-service science teachers was randomly selected from twenty-one public and private schools. Data were collected through the administration of validated questionnaire adapted from Palmquist and Finley (2007) views of nature of science. Findings from this study revealed that based on the scientific literacy approach of the five levels of Palmquist and Finley (2007) views of the nature of science, secondary school in-service science teachers have both traditional and contemporary views of the nature of science (NOS).Most teachers held traditional view, while a reasonable number have contemporary view. There was no significant difference in the views of nature of science between experienced and in experienced science teachers. There was no significant difference in the views of nature of science between professionally and non-professionally trained science teachers. It was concluded that the teaching of science is limited owing to inadequate science teachers’ professional training in the nature of science and its application to science teaching. Based on the finding, it was recommended that the goals of science teaching are to be framed within the elaborate understanding of the nature of science so as to achieve the gains of science education.