"Drawing on years of his own research, which is extensive, impressive, and persuasive, Mansoor Niaz presents a well-written and documented argument for the synthesis of cognitive theory and the history and philosophy of science for the improvement of science education research. He provides a timely antidote for ideologically driven research methods by persuasively arguing from the history of science that the research questions we address need to drive our research methodsùnot the other way around."-William Cobern, Western Michigan University "This is an important study. Science teaching and the preparation of science teachers is dominated by a far too uncomplicated understanding of the nature of science. Mansoor Niaz brings a strong and clear mastery of the history and philosophy of science to bear on pressing issues in the teaching of science. He presents a valuable perspective on how we should understand the nature of science and how we can work with pre-service and in-service teachers to strengthen their appreciation."-Louis Rosenblatt, Baltimore Freedom Academy "This book provides interesting ideas and examples for fruitful discussions for pre-service and in-service teachers, and for graduate students in schools of education."-Chin-Chung Tsai, Institute of Education & Center for Teacher Education, National Chiao Tung University Taiwan Science does not advance by just doing experiments and collecting data. Progress in science inevitably leads to controversies and alternative interpretations of data. How teachers view the nature of scientific knowledge is crucial to their understanding of science content and how it can be taught. This book presents an overview of the dynamics of scientific progress and its relationship to the history and philosophy of science, and then explores their 10 methodological and educational implications and develops innovative strategies based on actual classroom practice for teaching topics such as the nature of science, conceptual change, constructivism, qualitative-quantitative research, and the role of controversies, presuppositions, speculations, hypotheses, and predictions. In recent decades a worldwide sustained effort has been underway to introduce history and philosophy of science into the science curriculum, textbooks, and classrooms. Implementation of these reform projects requires teacher training that promotes an understanding of the nature of science and the dynamics of scientific progress. Field-tested in science education courses, the book is designed to involve readers in critically thinking about history and philosophy of science and to engage science educators in learning how to progressively introduce various aspects of "science-in-the-making" in their classrooms, to promote discussions highlighting controversial historical episodes included in the science curriculum, and to expose their students to the controversies and encourage them to support, defend, or critique the different interpretations. Innovating Science Teacher Education offers guidelines to go beyond traditional textbooks, curricula, and teaching methods and innovate with respect to science teacher education and classroom teaching.