ABSTRACT
Wonder, although the engine of all intellectual inquiry, has not received enough attention by mainstream science education. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to shed some light on the notion of wonder, which is distinguished from curiosity, and second, to discuss its importance in the context of school science. More specifically, the paper discusses the role of wonder as a prerequisite for engagement with science, its role as a source of students’ questions, and also its role as a prerequisite for learning, in the sense that it can contribute to a change in students’ outlook on natural phenomena. In so doing, the paper will draw on empirical evidence from two studies undertaken with the primary aim of investigating the role of wonder in the teaching-learning process.
