This chapter presents foundational ideas and discussion around the notion of worldviews, including how they develop, how they are influenced by education and how they impact learning. There is a focus on identifying the features of worldviews that incorporate science perspectives with an emphasis on strategies for nurturing and developing students’ scientific dispositions, such as their ‘science identity’ and ‘science capital’. The contributing role of primary science education through the Australian Curriculum will be examined. As we work through these ideas, you will examine your own worldviews about science and use evidence from the science education research literature to explore current views about the purposes of science education in primary schools.

To survive and prosper, researchers must demonstrate a successful record of publications in journals well-regarded by their fields. This chapter discusses how to successfully publish research in journals in the social and behavioral sciences and is organized into four sections. The first section highlights important factors that are routinely involved in the process of publishing a paper in refereed journals. The second section features some factors that are not necessarily required to publish a paper but that, if present, can positively influence scientific productivity. The third section discusses some pitfalls scholars should avoid to protect their scientific career. The last section addresses general publication issues within the science community. We also recommend further resources for those interested in learning more about successfully publishing research.