Knowledge through Different Perspectives: Scientific Perspective & Socio-cultural Perspective

1) Knowledge???

Knowledge is not just “information.” It is understood, justified, usable understanding that helps us explain, predict, decide, and act.

In teacher-language:

• Knowledge is what learners can use meaningfully in real contexts.
• Knowledge is shaped by how we think, how we test, and how society values certain ideas.

2) Why study “different perspectives” of knowledge?

Because how you believe knowledge is formed decides:

• how you teach (lecture vs inquiry vs dialogue),
• how you assess (one right answer vs reasoning vs context),
• how you view learners (empty vessels vs active constructors vs community participants).

In short: epistemology = pedagogy.
(How you see knowledge → how you teach knowledge.)

PART A — SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE OF KNOWLEDGE

3) Core Idea

In the scientific perspective, knowledge is:

• systematic
• evidence-based
• testable
• replicable
• open to revision

Scientific knowledge asks:

• What is the evidence?
• Can it be tested?
• Can others verify it?
• Does it predict accurately?

4) Key Features of Scientific Knowledge

4.1 Empirical (based on observation & data)

• Knowledge comes from senses + instruments + measurements.

Example:
Students claim, “plants grow faster with music.” A scientific approach says:
✅ measure growth with/without music, keep other factors constant (sunlight, water, soil).

4.2 Objective (tries to reduce personal bias)

• Not “I feel it is true,” but “data supports it.”

Classroom example:
Instead of saying “this student is weak,” teacher checks:

• reading fluency rate,
• error patterns,
• comprehension responses.

4.3 Logical and systematic

• Uses models, theories, reasoning.

Example:
In math, instead of memorizing formula, students learn why it works through patterns and proofs.

4.4 Falsifiable (can be proven wrong)

If a claim cannot possibly be tested, it is not scientific.

Example:
“Luck decides exam results” → not falsifiable in a clean way.
“Sleep duration affects recall scores” → testable.

4.5 Replicable (others can repeat and get similar results)

Scientific reliability depends on reproducibility.

Example:
A teacher tests spaced repetition with one batch; then another teacher tries it and finds similar improvement.

4.6 Tentative (always open to revision)

Science is confident but not arrogant. It updates.

Example:
Teaching “nutrition” has changed over time with newer evidence (e.g., changing understanding about fats, sugars, etc.).

5) How Scientific Knowledge is Produced (Simplified)

The Scientific Method (classroom-friendly)

1. Observe a problem
2. Ask a question
3. Form a hypothesis
4. Test (experiment/field study)
5. Analyse data
6. Conclude
7. Share + peer review
8. Revise if needed

Micro-example for pre-service teachers:
Question: Does peer discussion improve concept clarity in social science?

• Give same concept to two groups
• One group studies alone; other discusses
• Compare concept explanation quality using rubric

6) What Scientific Perspective Means for Teaching

Pedagogical implications:

• Use inquiry-based learning
• Encourage “why” and “how” questions
• Teach evidence and reasoning
• Use experiments, data, observation
• Assess process + explanation, not just final answer

Teaching moves:

• “What makes you say that?”
• “What evidence supports it?”
• “How can we check it?”
• “If this is true, what should happen next?”

7) Strengths & Limitations of the Scientific Perspective

Strengths

• High reliability for physical/natural phenomena
• Supports innovation and problem-solving
• Reduces superstition and misinformation

Limitations (very important for teachers)

• Not all knowledge is measurable (e.g., values, identity, meaning)
• Science can be influenced by funding, culture, and power
• Over-focus on “objectivity” may ignore lived experiences

Teacher reminder:
Science tells us what works on average; teaching deals with humans in context.

PART B — SOCIO-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE OF KNOWLEDGE

8) Core Idea

In the socio-cultural perspective, knowledge is:

• constructed through social interaction
• shaped by language, culture, history, community
• learned through participation in meaningful practices

Socio-cultural knowledge asks:

• Who created this knowledge?
• In which cultural context?
• Whose voice is missing?
• How does language shape understanding?
• How do communities decide what counts as “true”?

 

9) Key Features of Socio-cultural Knowledge

9.1 Knowledge is socially constructed

People build understanding through dialogue, negotiation, shared meaning.

Example:
In a classroom discussion on “freedom,” students bring different meanings based on family, media, society, and personal experience.

9.2 Knowledge is mediated by language

Language is not just a tool to express knowledge—language creates knowledge.

Example:
If students lack vocabulary for emotions (e.g., “frustrated,” “overwhelmed”), they struggle to identify feelings—so their self-awareness remains limited.

9.3 Knowledge is situated (context matters)

Knowing is tied to where, when, and why it is used.

Example:
A student may solve math problems in textbook format, but struggles to apply the same math in shopping discounts.
Socio-cultural view: the knowledge isn’t “weak,” it’s not yet contextualized.

9.4 Knowledge is influenced by culture, values, and power

What becomes “official knowledge” often reflects social priorities.

Example:
Whose history gets highlighted in textbooks?
Whose language is treated as “standard”?
These are knowledge decisions shaped by society.

9.5 Learning happens through participation (apprenticeship)

Learners gain knowledge by joining real practices: observing, trying, receiving feedback.

Example:
A pre-service teacher learns classroom management not just by reading theory but by:

• watching mentor teacher,
• co-teaching,
• reflecting,
• gradually taking responsibility.

 

10) How Socio-cultural Knowledge is Produced

• Through shared activities (school, family, workplace)
• Through narratives and traditions
• Through dialogue and collaboration
• Through cultural tools (texts, media, technology)
• Through institutions (school, religion, government, community)

 

11) Major Concepts You Should Know (Exam + Practice)

11.1 Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

What learners can do with support, not yet alone.

Example:
Student can write a paragraph alone, but with teacher prompts and peer models, can write a strong essay.

Teacher use:
Give scaffolding: sentence starters, exemplars, guided questions.

11.2 Scaffolding

Temporary support that is gradually removed.

Example:
First provide template for debate speech → then reduce prompts → student speaks independently.

11.3 Community of Practice

Learning happens by becoming part of a community that shares a practice.

Example:
Science club, debate club, art group, coding group—knowledge grows via shared participation.

11.4 Funds of Knowledge

Learners bring rich home/community knowledge.

Example:
A student whose family runs a shop has strong real-life knowledge of:

• negotiation,
• accounting,
• customer psychology,
• inventory logic.

Teacher move connect curriculum to this knowledge.

 

12) What Socio-cultural Perspective Means for Teaching

Pedagogical implications:

• Use collaborative learning (pair, group)
• Use dialogue, discussion, storytelling
• Build on learners’ background and identity
• Encourage multiple viewpoints
• Create inclusive environments where all voices count

Teaching moves:

• “How do you see it in your community?”
• “Can you explain it in your own words?”
• “What examples have you seen around you?”
• “Let’s learn from each other’s experiences.”

 

13) Strengths & Limitations of the Socio-cultural Perspective

Strengths

• Makes learning meaningful and inclusive
• Recognizes diversity and identity
• Improves engagement through relevance
• Supports language development and participation

Limitations

• Risk of relativism if not guided well (“everyone’s truth is equal”)
• Can ignore the need for accuracy in scientific/technical topics if poorly balanced
• Requires strong facilitation skills from teacher

PART C — SCIENTIFIC vs SOCIO-CULTURAL: A CLEAN COMPARISON

Aspect	Scientific Perspective	Socio-cultural Perspective
Nature of knowledge	Objective, evidence-based	Constructed, context-based
Main question	“What is true based on evidence?”	“How is truth shaped socially?”
Method	Experimentation, measurement	Dialogue, participation, cultural tools
Learning	Discovery + verification	Interaction + scaffolding
Assessment focus	Accuracy, reasoning, replicability	Meaning, application, participation
Key risk	Ignoring context & values	Losing standards of evidence

 

PART D — INTEGRATING BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM

14) The “Both-Lens” Approach (practical model)

A strong teacher uses:

• Scientific lens for accuracy and evidence
• Socio-cultural lens for meaning and inclusion

Example 1: Teaching “Health and Exercise”

• Scientific: heart rate, evidence, WHO guidelines, physiology
• Socio-cultural: family habits, food culture, access to parks, community beliefs

Example 2: Teaching “Environmental Pollution”

• Scientific: AQI, causes, particulate matter, data interpretation
• Socio-cultural: local industries, lifestyle choices, civic responsibility, community practices

 

15) Ready-to-use Classroom Activity

Activity: “Two Perspectives, One Topic”

Topic: Mobile phones and student learning

Step 1 (Scientific):
Collect data: screen time vs study time, memory test results.

Step 2 (Socio-cultural):
Discuss: why students use phones, family expectations, social media pressure, peer culture.

Step 3 (Integration):
Create classroom rules and learning strategies backed by evidence and realistic context.

In NUTshell

• Science says: “Show me the evidence.”
• Society says: “Show me the context.”
• Great teaching says: “I’ll use both—so knowledge becomes true and usable.”