Supervisors info:
Επιβλέπουσα: Ευαγγελία Μαυρικάκη Καθηγήτρια στο Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης του ΕΚΠΑ
Συνεπιβλέποντες:
Αποστολία Γαλάνη Καθηγήτρια Διδακτικής της Γεωγραφίας στο Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης του ΕΚΠΑ
Κωνσταντίνος Σκορδούλης Καθηγητής Επιστημολογίας και Διδακτικής Μεθοδολογίας της Φυσικής στο Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα του ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
This thesis examines students' perceptions of science and scientists, focusing on the factors that influence elementary school children's trust in science, such as the dominance of superstitious beliefs, the abundance of information sources, and the element of uncertainty as a characteristic of the nature of science.
The research was conducted in 2022 at an elementary school in the Northern Suburbs of Athens and was based on qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews and storytelling. The sample consisted of 15 students from the 5th and 6th grades of elementary school.
The theoretical framework of this study focuses on the concept of trust and its relationship with society and science. It examines the nature of science, the role of scientific literacy in the acceptance of scientific knowledge, with particular emphasis on the factors influencing trust in science – across different age groups – such as educational level, socio-cultural influence, and transparency in the communication of science.
The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed results that are partly aligned with existing research literature and trends regarding students' preferences for scientific or traditional explanations, the choice of information sources, and the acceptance of uncertainty in science. Furthermore, the results show that students acquire scientific experiences through informal forms of education, that they are able to express complex concerns and critically comment on issues related to science. This study can contribute to a deeper understanding of: a) how students perceive science as a source of information and a method of understanding the world, and b) the factors that contribute to enhancing trust in scientists and science from the perspective of elementary school students.
Keywords:
Trust in Science, Nature of Science (NoS), Scientific Literacy, Epistemic Trust
