When Nature of Science Meets Quantum Physics: Insights from NOS Representation in Chinese Physics Textbooks.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: When Nature of Science Meets Quantum Physics: Insights from NOS Representation in Chinese Physics Textbooks.
Authors: Han, Zeyu1 (AUTHOR) hanzy@connect.hku.hk, Wei, Bing2 (AUTHOR) bingwei@um.edu.mo
Source: Science & Education. Oct2025, Vol. 34 Issue 5, p3269-3289. 21p.
Subject Terms: *Science education, *Physics education, *Education research methodology, *Curriculum planning, *Educational resources, Philosophy of science, Scientific models, Quantum theory
Abstract: While nature of science (NOS) has been argued as a fundamental element in science curriculum and instruction, empirical studies have continuously reported poor representation of NOS in science textbooks, especially in physics textbooks across the globe. Quantum physics (QP) is proposed to intertwine intensively with NOS and thus potentially carry sufficient NOS. Thus, this study examined the representation of NOS in the texts concerning QP, taking six series of Chinese physics textbooks commonly used at the secondary level as the target. Specifically, we analysed the inclusion of the desired NOS aspects and their co-occurrence within specific content topics using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Furthermore, we examined the distribution of NOS aspects across different QP content topics. Unlike most existing studies, sufficient representation of NOS is observed with a stable distribution regardless of textbook series, which can be explained by the abundance of history of science. Furthermore, the Nature of Scientific Theories, one of the NOS aspects, shares the most co-occurrences with other NOS aspects. Meanwhile, the Social and Cultural Embeddedness of Science is detected with quite insufficient representation. It is suggested that QP is a unique resource for NOS representation in science textbooks. Scientific Theories share the potential to relate and represent more adequate NOS aspects within particular content topics in physics textbooks. Implications for refining the QP in physics textbooks are provided from the NOS representation perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Science & Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: ehh
DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 188905327
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: When Nature of Science Meets Quantum Physics: Insights from NOS Representation in Chinese Physics Textbooks.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Han%2C+Zeyu%22">Han, Zeyu</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> hanzy@connect.hku.hk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wei%2C+Bing%22">Wei, Bing</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> bingwei@um.edu.mo</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Science+%26+Education%22">Science & Education</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 34 Issue 5, p3269-3289. 21p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+education%22">Science education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physics+education%22">Physics education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+research+methodology%22">Education research methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+planning%22">Curriculum planning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+resources%22">Educational resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophy+of+science%22">Philosophy of science</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+models%22">Scientific models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quantum+theory%22">Quantum theory</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: While nature of science (NOS) has been argued as a fundamental element in science curriculum and instruction, empirical studies have continuously reported poor representation of NOS in science textbooks, especially in physics textbooks across the globe. Quantum physics (QP) is proposed to intertwine intensively with NOS and thus potentially carry sufficient NOS. Thus, this study examined the representation of NOS in the texts concerning QP, taking six series of Chinese physics textbooks commonly used at the secondary level as the target. Specifically, we analysed the inclusion of the desired NOS aspects and their co-occurrence within specific content topics using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Furthermore, we examined the distribution of NOS aspects across different QP content topics. Unlike most existing studies, sufficient representation of NOS is observed with a stable distribution regardless of textbook series, which can be explained by the abundance of history of science. Furthermore, the Nature of Scientific Theories, one of the NOS aspects, shares the most co-occurrences with other NOS aspects. Meanwhile, the Social and Cultural Embeddedness of Science is detected with quite insufficient representation. It is suggested that QP is a unique resource for NOS representation in science textbooks. Scientific Theories share the potential to relate and represent more adequate NOS aspects within particular content topics in physics textbooks. Implications for refining the QP in physics textbooks are provided from the NOS representation perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Science & Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=188905327
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s11191-024-00550-y
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 3269
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Science education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physics education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum planning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Philosophy of science
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quantum theory
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: When Nature of Science Meets Quantum Physics: Insights from NOS Representation in Chinese Physics Textbooks.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Han, Zeyu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wei, Bing
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Text: Oct2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09267220
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 34
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Science & Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1