Bhutanese Pre-Service Science Teachers' Conceptions of the Nature of Science: A View from Cross-Sectional Study

Science education and scientific literacy has gained enormous attention in the global educational scenario. In many cases, however, the holistic intent of science education is largely affected due to the lack of adequate understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS). This cross-sectional study was carried out to establish Bhutanese pre-service science teachers' conceptions of the NOS. One hundred and seven pre-service science teachers from one of the education colleges in Bhutan took part in the study based on convenient sampling design. The Myths of Science Questionnaire (MOSQ) adapted from Bauraphan (2009) was administered through online survey mode. The descriptive statistics in terms of frequency supported by written responses were employed to analyse the data. Findings showed that the Bhutanese pre-service science teachers do not possess matured and informed view of the NOS in many areas of scientific knowledge, scientific methods, scientists' practices, and scientific enterprise. Implications of the findings related to teacher preparation courses are discussed.