The Scale of Scientific Epistemological Beliefs: Adapting for Turkish Culture, Language Validity and Examination of Factor Structure

Abstract

When examining the objectives of science education, it can be realized that students’ learning scientific information and understanding the philosophy of science take place on the top (Çepni, 2008; Doğru & Kıyıcı, 2005). However, it is expressed that science is not a total of knowledge but a way of knowing; students’ understanding the nature, structure of knowledge and how knowledge is developed is important in science education (National Research Council [NRC], 2007). In this respect, studies about science and scientific knowledge in science education come into prominence. As a result of this long running debate and developments in science education, the curriculum in primary education in Turkey has been reformed, based on constructivist approach in 2004. When addressed as an epistemology, constructivism differentiates the views with regard to both knowledge and acquiring the knowledge. Addressing the constructivism as an approach and dwelling on scientific knowledge revive the questions: What is knowledge? How is knowledge constructed? Philosophical branch which deals with such questions is Epistemology as it is known. If we look from the viewpoint of primary education, we can see that students’ opinion about scientific knowledge has gained