Science education communities, both domestically and internationally, have consistently emphasized the importance of scientific inquiry. In light of this trend, the competency of science teachers in guiding inquiry has been recognized as critical. How...
Science education communities, both domestically and internationally, have consistently emphasized the importance of scientific inquiry. In light of this trend, the competency of science teachers in guiding inquiry has been recognized as critical. However, in-service science teachers often face significant difficulties in providing such guidance. One of the primary causes of these difficulties is the distinct lack of opportunities for teachers to experience direct scientific inquiry, namely, science research during pre-service teacher training and professional development programs.
In response to this deficiency, science education communities have proposed Research Experiences for Teachers(RET) programs as a strategic measure to overcome these challenges. Representative types of RET programs include Science Research Model(SciRes) and Science Pedagogy-Focused Model(SciPed). However, these types have been reported to have limitations, such as the long duration required for completion, the difficulty of translating the experience into actual school instruction or curricula, and their insufficiency in allowing participants to experience the essence and rich context of scientific research. Recently, a model of science research based on Practices in Science has been proposed as an approach to address these limitations. This type refers to research in which the researcher pursues an 'authentic understanding' by being invited to and participating in practices in Science.
Meanwhile, since the establishment of the National Curriculum, the concepts of work and energy have consistently been included in science education. In Korean secondary school textbooks, energy is commonly defined as “the ability to do work.” However, many studies have questioned the validity and appropriateness of this definition. Therefore, more fundamental reflections on the concepts of work and energy and the development of improved teaching approaches are required. Such efforts should not be limited to professional scientists but should be conducted by science teachers who directly encounter these issues in classroom practice. In this regard, teachers’ own inquiry and reflection on the concepts of work and energy are necessary.
In this study, a new form of science research conducted by an in-service teacher based on the Practices in Science was implemented, focusing on the domain of work and energy. The research question was: “Is energy the ability to do work?” Through this question, the study aimed to pursue a authentic understanding of energy.
Specifically, this study analyzed previous research related to the research question based on the six facets of authentic understanding. The study was conducted through peer review among co-researchers. In the first stage, Lehrman’s (1973) paper and seven related studies were analyzed using the six facets of authentic understanding. In the second stage, the limitations identified in previous studies were addressed by pursuing a authentic understanding of energy grounded in the Practices in Science.
The results revealed that the self-knowledge facet was absent in previous studies analyzed using the six facets of authentic understanding. By addressing this limitation, this study presented all facets of authentic understanding of energy. It was found that defining energy as the ability to do work originates from a mechanical perspective on nature. Some forms of energy that cannot be adequately explained by this definition were identified as physical quantities interpreted within a field-theoretic perspective. Furthermore, the definition and interpretation of energy were found to vary depending on perspectives on nature. Recently proposed theories interpreting energy as information were identified as representing an informational perspective. These diverse perspectives on energy and their development were illustrated through flowchart and Discipline-Culture diagram.
Through this analysis, all six facets of authentic understanding of energy were derived. The findings indicate that energy is a multilayered concept that continues to expand and develop, and that perspectives on energy are also continuously evolving.
The results of this study are expected to serve as foundational data for improving teaching and learning, classroom instruction, and developing pedagogical strategies related to work and energy education. Meanwhile, this study represents an initial case of science research based on Practices in Science, attempted as a new form of science research for teachers. It is anticipated that, building on this study, science research based on Practices in Science will become activated and systematized, thereby establishing itself as a new paradigm of research for teachers.