Decisions involved in the development and validation of a contextualized questionnaire about nature of science views

Abstract

Due to the importance that Nature of Science (NOS) has received in science teaching research, we reported on the procedures employed during the elaboration of a contextualized instrument that uses Ecology as a model for investigating NOS views among Biological Science undergraduates. We proposed orientation and principles that can contribute towards appropriate research procedures. The VENCCE (Students’ Views of the Nature of Science by way of Contextualization in Ecology, originated from the acronym in Portuguese) consists of five contextualized situations that have Ecology as theme and study model for understanding the NOS conceptions. Each situation is accompanied by statements to be marked according to respondents' agreement degree. The VENCCE enables the calculation of an index that indicates how well informed are the respondents' NOS conceptions. The reliability of VENCCE was considered adequate according to Cronbach's alpha estimated after an application with 691 undergraduate students. We introducing the VENCCE in its entirety and discuss the implications of using contextualized questionnaires. Epistemological and methodological decisions were justified, as a way of inciting reflection and aiding in decision making. Some of the strategies used for evaluating instrument efficacy, and which were based on analysis of the results from application, are also presented. This can be considered in an explicit and critical manner, when creating new questionnaires, in such a way, that they also make it possible to reflect a better understanding of students' NOS conceptions. On divulging our research decisions, we aim their generalization, as a form of expanding the application of the methodology and eliciting response during the elaboration of further research instruments.

Keywords

• Alfa de Cronbach
• concepções
• elaboração de questionário
• natureza da ciência
• práticas metodológicas.