• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.2 no.2 s.4
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• pp.123-143
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• 2002

The purpose of the paper is to examine the validity of social constructivism embodied in Shapin's case study of Boyle's air pump as a typical case study of the sociology of scientific knowledge. I shall argue that scientific activity has not only epistemic dimension but also non-epistemic dimension, and that social constructivism has put too much emphasis on non-epistemic social dimension such that it cannot provide any balanced understanding of scientific knowledge. I shall first examine the epistemic dimension of the debate between Boyle and Hobbes about air pump, then examine Shapin's view emphasizing epistemic one. Finally I consider some limits of social constructivism shown in Shapin's view.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.333-346
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• 2021

In this study, we developed education materials using history of science related to the experiment of 'Boyle's air pump' and the Boyle and Hobbs' debate of vacuum to find out the perceptions of NOS by pre-service chemistry teachers. For the study, 29 pre-service chemistry teachers at a college of education in Chungcheongbuk-do were selected. As RFN items that were related to the contextual situation developed in this study, items in the categories of 'Aims and Values', 'Scientific practices', 'Scientific Methods among Educational Applications' and 'Social-Institutional Aspects among Educational Applications' were selected. Through the items of RFN, the perceptions of pre-service teachers in non-contextual situations were investigated. Then we presented the pre-service teachers with the situation related to Boyle's experiment on air pump and Boyle and Hobbes' debate over vacuum. In addition, their perception of NOS was examined in contextual situations related to RFN items. Responses to the items, experimental results related to Boyle's Law, group discussion, and interview data were collected as data. As a result of the study, it was found that pre-service teachers had informed perceptions in most of the items, but cases with naive views or mixed views were found in context experimental situations. This study can contribute to the NOS education for pre-service chemistry teachers by development of context situation education materials related to NOS and by finding out their perceptions in the non-contextual and contextual situation.