Appendix 3: Profiles of NOS content to be taught suggested by Chinese science teacher educators and their corresponding categorizations

STE / Gen. / Sub. / Pos. / NOS content suggested by educator / Cat.[1]
1 / F / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Scientific community
Social and cultural influence on science
  • Bilateral influence of science on the society
/ C
2 / M / Phy. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
/ A
3 / F / Int. Sci. / Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Testable nature of scientific knowledge
Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
  • Science as the pursuit of truth
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
4 / M / Int. Sci. / Prof. / Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific method
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Relationship between science and technology
Scientific community
Social and cultural influence on science / B
5 / M / Phy. / Ass. Prof. / Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific method
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Social and cultural influence on science
Scientific community / B
6 / M / Int. Sci. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • General process of scientific investigation
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Creation in the scientific investigation
Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific methods
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Bilateral influence of science on the society
Social and cultural influence on science
Scientific community
  • Myths of scientist
/ B
7 / M / Phy. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
Science as the pursuit of truth
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
8 / M / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific method
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Scientific community
Social and cultural influence on science
Relationship between science and technology / B
9 / M / Phy. / Instr. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
Testable nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
Science as the pursuit of truth
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
/ A
10 / F / Bio. / Instr. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Science as the pursuit of truth
Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
Logics in scientific investigation
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
11 / M / Chem. / Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
12 / F / Phy. / Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Testable nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
Logics in scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
/ A
13 / M / Bio. / Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Testable nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
14 / M / Phy. / Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
Theory-laden observation
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Relationship between science and technology
Social and cultural influence on science
Bilateral influence of science on the society
Scientific community / B
15 / M / Bio. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific method
Creation in scientific investigation
  • Bilateral influence of science on the society
Social and cultural influence on science
Scientific community / B
16 / F / Phy. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Empirical nature of scientific investigation
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Tentativeness of scientific knowledge
Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Myth of the scientific method
Role of imagination in scientific investigation
  • Social and cultural influence on science
/ B
17 / F / Int. Sci. / Prof. / Contemporary NOS elements
  • Inferential nature of scientific knowledge
  • Theory-laden observation
Creation in the scientific investigation
  • Scientific community
Social and cultural influence on science
Bilateral influence of science on the society
  • Myths of scientist
/ B
18 / M / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
/ A
19 / M / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
20 / F / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
Truth-approaching nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
Contemporary NOS elements
  • Myth of the scientific method
  • Bilateral influence of science on the society
Social and cultural influence on science
Scientific community / C
21 / F / Chem. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
22 / M / Bio. / Instr. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
/ A
23 / M / Bio. / Instr. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Logics in scientific investigation
General process of scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
/ A
24 / M / Int. Sci. / Ass. Prof. / Classical NOS elements
  • Progressive nature of scientific knowledge
  • Empirical basis of scientific investigation
Replicable nature of empirical evidence
Logics in scientific investigation
  • Realist understanding of mind and natural world
  • Scientific ethos
/ A

[1] Categorization of science teacher educators’ conceptions of NOS content to be taught (A= focusing on classical NOS elements; B= focusing on contemporary NOS elements; C=Mixed)