Understandings of the nature of science were assessed using a pretest-posttest design.
Perceptions of the classroom learning environment were determined by administering the
survey during the last week of classes. Average item means for each scale and standard
deviations were calculated.
To investigate associations between the learning environment and understandings of the
nature of science on the posttest, simple correlation and multiple regression analyses were
carried out. To determine which specific learning environment scales accounted for most of
the variance in understanding the nature of science, standardized regression weights were
also examined.
Responses to the interview questions were audio-taped, transcribed, and coded by an
analytic inductive process (Anderson 1998). This involved reviewing the transcripts multiple
times, pulling out key phrases describing the learning environment and aspects of the nature
of science that tended to reoccur, then reducing these phrases to concise themes that
summarized the responses and helped to answer the research questions.