Abstract
Error in science is a prime occasion to teach the nature of science, especially the central feature of tentativeness. Error types also reflect corresponding methodologies of science, critical for practicing science and (in a context of scientific literacy) analyzing its claims. Effective efforts in teaching about error will ideally be informed by earlier educational perspectives and a schema for inventorying and organizing error types. Approaches using student-directed inquiry have limits, whereas guided-inquiry historical case studies seem appropriate vehicles. On a larger scale, one may also envision a prospective learning progression on successively deeper understandings of error in science. Sample case studies and opportunities for further reading are identified.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 904-926 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Science Education |
Volume | 96 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2012 |