— The Nature of Science

Too oft en, science is viewed as a fi xed body of somewhat obscure knowledge. For example, many of us have seen the Periodic Table but the usefulness may not be apparent for anyone outside of science classrooms and laboratories. What insiders to the culture of science know is that the Periodic Table is not only a clever way of organizing all the elements but it also refl ects centuries of debate. In addition, the Periodic Table continues to undergo change. A new element was named in February 2010 and all Periodic Tables since then have been updated to include copernicium (its symbol is Cn) as the 112th element known to humankind. Admittedly, this information may not be a topic of conversation over lunch with your peers and is probably not relevant to the students at your fi eld placement site. But what this little example alerts us to is the everchanging aspect of science. Like all other cultures, science is defi ned by its objects and actions. In addition, few cultures are fi xed and unchanging. Instead, a culture can shift over the years in response to adjustments in attitudes as old members move along and new members come in to the group. Th is is all to say that to appreciate that science is a culture requires recognizing that science, despite its distinctive features, is gradually changing. Another way to describe the science culture is to explore the “nature of science” since it gives a sense for the cultural norms. Understanding the nature of science represents a way of becoming a competent and confi dent participant in the science culture.