Theory and Practice in the Curriculum

Theory and Practice in the Curriculum

Designing the Elementary School Science Curriculum based on Bhaskar's Transcendental Realism

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education, Khwarazmi University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This paper is reporting on a research that its purpose was to design a  science curriculum for elementary education based on Bhaskar's transcendental realism philosophy of science. The study used deductive method. Based on Ontological realism, epistemological relativism and rationality of judgment as the central core of transcendental realism, the  main components to design science curriculum for  elementary education were inferred. The findings showed that the goals of science  education include the improvement of students' perceptions of the nature of science, to cultivate their critical thinking, and to promote the process skills in students, while emphasizing on science products. Moreover, while the scientific knowledge is subject to modificatinion, the scientific facts have their own merit and needs to be considered in designing elementary science curriculum. Learning is a process of active construction using prior knowledge and through social interactions and become meaningful in the real world. In this approach, teacher acting as facilitator and evaluation of students' learning is considered a systematic, comprehensive and complementary of learning.
 
Keywords

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