Reconceptualising the Nature of Science for a Flourishing Planet
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22042765 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andy Markwick (0000-0001-5544-3288, University College London), Amy Strachan (0000-0002-6820-9535, University College London, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 1028 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-29 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16071028 |
| OpenAlex | W7166551900 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 36 |
Debates concerning the Nature of Science (NoS) have increasingly acknowledged its epistemic, cultural, ethical, and social dimensions. Recent scholarship has further foregrounded issues of equity, identity, and justice within science education. While these developments represent significant progress, this article argues that dominant conceptualisations of NoS remain fundamentally anthropocentric and insufficiently responsive to the ecological crises that define the Anthropocene. Drawing on Earth System Science, eco-centric theory, post-human theory and Indigenous and local knowledges, this paper proposes a planetary-conscious reconceptualisation of NoS. This framework retains the methodological rigour and evidential standards of Western science while expanding epistemic boundaries to include relational, place-based, and intergenerational ways of knowing. We argue that eco-centric and post-human theoretical frameworks offer essential pedagogical approaches for supporting young people to develop deeper connections with nature, fostering care-based relationships with the more-than-human world, and building resilience for sustainable futures. Such a reconceptualisation is necessary not only for scientific literacy but for the protection and enhancement of planetary health. Implications for curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher education are discussed, with particular attention to primary science education
Anthropocentrism · Economic Justice · Flourishing · Indigenous · Rigour · Scholarship · Science education · Scientific Literacy · Traditional knowledge · Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Posthumanist Ethics and Activism · Science Education and Pedagogy
Reconceptualizing the Nature of Science for Science Education
Conjectures and Refutations
Working with Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) in large‐scale ecological assessments
Eco-Anxiety and Environmental Education
Anthropocentrism and Post‐Humanism
My Octopus Teacher, Posthumanism, and Posthuman Education
(Re)considering Nature of Science Education in the Face of Socio-scientific Challenges and Injustices
Responding to the moral complexities of climate change education through intergenerational dialogue in teacher education
“Science capital”
Reimagining indigenous knowledge in a multicultural science classroom
Fostering students’ systems thinking competence for sustainability by using multiple real-world learning approaches
From plants to pedagogies
Pollution Is Colonialism
Indigenous Experiences and Contributions to Western Scientific Knowledge Systems
| Highly cited | No |
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