Exploring Science Teachers’ Beliefs About the Nature of Science and Their Instructional Practices in Secondary Schools in Borno State

This study explored Science teachers' epistemological beliefs about the nature of science and how these beliefs related to their classroom instructional practices in secondary schools in Borno State, Nigeria. Teachers' understanding of science as a human, tentative, and evidence-based enterprise is theorised to shape the degree to which they enact inquiry-oriented, critical, and open instructional approaches, yet this relationship has rarely been examined in the North East context. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. In the quantitative phase, 140 Science teachers from secondary schools in Maiduguri, Biu, and Konduga Local Government Areas completed a validated Views on the Nature of Science questionnaire and an Instructional Practices Inventory. Reliability coefficients were 0.79 and 0.81. Pearson's correlation was applied. In the qualitative phase, 12 teachers were selected for in-depth classroom observation and interview. Results showed a moderate positive correlation between informed nature of science views and inquiry-oriented practices. However, qualitative data revealed that even teachers with sophisticated nature of science beliefs often reverted to didactic instruction due to curriculum pressure, large classes, and examination demands. Recommendations included professional development integrating nature of science philosophy with practical inquiry teaching strategies and policy review to reduce examination pressure on science teaching. Keywords: nature of science, teacher beliefs, instructional practices, Borno State, mixed methods.