While the value of popular media in science education has been acknowledged, very little empirical research and guidance exists for teachers how to incorporate such mediums into the science curriculum and effectively use them in their classroom practice. Accordingly, this study introduces a novel approach, which uses documentary films as a context and tool to enhance student teachers’ (STs) conceptions of science and the nature of science (NOS).

The current situation in science education suggests that the gap between ‘science-as-it-is-taught’ and ‘science-as-it-is-perceived’ on TV or in the media is rapidly increasing (1). Many students find standard science curricula largely dull, uninteresting, unimportant and somewhat irrelevant to their personal curiosity and interest (2). As Glenn (3) states ‘we are failing to capture the interest of our youth for scientific and mathematical ideas.’ Accordingly, some researchers have initiated a pioneering effort to enhance the attractiveness and relevance of science to students by using movies (4) and science fiction films (5, 6). The results showed that using scenes from popular films to illustrate physical principles excited student interests and improved their understanding of the related science concepts (6).

Science is a process and with traditional instructional methods students would have difficulties to understand this process (7). However, some media, like movies and animations provide more engaging and thought-provoking entertainment than traditional teaching environment can offer. It should be emphasized that these materials such as a television documentary created for home viewing may also be shown in a science classroom for science teaching. These mediums are well suited for engaging learners in the process of science (8). Influenced by those studies (4, 5, 6), this study investigates how scenes from documentary films could lead to improvements in STs’ ideas about NOS and accordingly provides recommendations on how to teach NOS effectively. Therefore, this study is of direct interests and relevance to educational practitioners, policy-makers and the producers and editors of documentary films. One of the reasons why we prefer to use documentary films as an instructional tool is that compared to science fiction films, documentary films are less likely to have scenes that have scientifically incorrect information and concepts. There are several scientifically flawed films and accordingly students are encountered good and bad science in science fiction films; however, they may not really notice (9). Although science fiction films can be a good way of getting students interested in science, without explicit teaching and discussing some of the information presented in them may lead students’ misunderstanding about scientific concepts (9).

References 1- National Science Board (2010). Science and Engineering Indicators 2010. (Chapter 7: Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding). Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation. 2- Millar, R., & Osborne, J. (1998). Beyond 2000. Science Education for the future. London, King's College- Nuffield Foundation. 3- Glenn, J. (2000). Before it’s too late: A report to the nation from the national commission on mathematics and science teaching for the 21st century. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. 4- Hadzigeorgiou, Y., & Garganourakis, V. (2010). Using Nikola Tesla’s story and his experiments as presented in the film “The Prestige” to promote scientific inquiry: A report of an action research project. Interchange, 41(4), 363-378. 5- Dark, M. (2005). Using science fiction movies in introductory physics. The Physics Teacher, 43, 463-465. 6- Efthimiou, C.J. & Llewellyn, R.A. (2006). Avatars of Hollywood in physical science. The Physics Teacher, 44, 28-33. 7- Lederman, N.G. (2007). Nature of science: Past, present and future. In S.A. Abell & N.G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of research on science education (pp. 831-879). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 8- Bell, P., Lewenstein, B., Shouse, A.W. & Feder, M.A. (2009). Learning science in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington: The National Academies Press. 9- Allday, J. (2003). Science in science fiction. Physics Education, 38(1), 27-30. 10- Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan (1980). [Documentary Film] Episode 3: "The Harmony of the Worlds - Johannes Kepler". DVD. PBS. 11- Einstein’s Big Idea (2005). [Documentary Film] Based on David Bodanis’ bestseller, E=mc2, DVD. Nova.