Özet:

The purpose of this study is to determine the understanding of the nature of science among preschool teachers. The research was conducted with 50 preschool teachers who were working in Edirne, Türkiye, during the 2022–2023 academic year and was determined using the easily accessible sampling method. In the research, which was carried out using the case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, the understanding of the nature of science of preschool teachers was determined by the Views on Nature of Science Questionnaire Form C (VNOS-C). The content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. The data were analysed in eight themes: variability of scientific knowledge, scientific method, experimentation in science, structure of scientific theories and laws, subjectivity in science, observation, inference, and theoretical assumptions in science, creativity and imagination in science, and relationship between science and society. The findings highlighted that the majority of preschool teachers had an insufficient understanding of the nature of science. In addition, the study found that preschool teachers had various misconceptions about their understanding of the nature of science. At this point, it is thought that providing appropriate professional development opportunities for preschool teachers can enable them to develop a sufficient level of understanding about the nature of science and the characteristics of scientific knowledge.

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