Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Pre-service Physics Teachers' Views on Non-Epistemic Nature of Science

This paper presents the findings of a validation study for an instrument designed to assess the views on the non-epistemic nature of science (NE-NOS) among pre-service physics teachers (PSPTs). Despite the acknowledged significance of the nature of science (NOS), research has predominantly focused on its epistemological aspects, sidelining non-epistemological facets that encompass contextual, social, and psychological dimensions relevant to science and its practitioners. Drawing from a comprehensive literature review within science education research, we developed a construct map describing three underlying components of NE-NOS. This construct map forms the basis for a proposed hypothetical progression outlining the developmental stages of PSPTs' views on NE-NOS, categorized as na & iuml;ve, mixed, and informed. The items comprising the NE-NOS assessment adopt an ordered multiple-choice format, where each response option reflects a specific level of views on NE-NOS. Results from a validation study involving 309 PSPTs demonstrate robust reliability and validity through Rasch analysis, corroborated by evidence in internal scale validity, construct validity, concurrent validity, and response process validity. The evaluation of PSPTs using the instrument reveals a prevailing mixed level of views on NE-NOS. The implications of the NE-NOS instrument for enhancing theoretical understanding of NOS and NOS-based teacher training are discussed. In conclusion, the NE-NOS assessment validly measures PSPTs' NE-NOS views and could serve as a valuable tool for raising awareness of NE-NOS. Researchers and teacher educators can utilize it as a diagnostic instrument to study the effects of NOS education.