Science for life – a conceptual framework for construction and analysis of socio-scientific cases

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to describe a conceptual framework to be used as a tool for analyzing work with socio-scientific issues (SSI) and for constructing SSI cases in secondary school. The framework consists of six components describing the more detailed characteristics of SSI. The components were chosen to reflect what we know from research about what might have an impact on students' learning and interest in science. Six socio-scientific cases were then constructed and these are discussed in the article. The cases are relevant in that they both display the characteristics of SSI and meet the requirements of the Swedish national curriculum. The components and the cases are described in a table. This work is the first step in an evidence-based research project aiming at investigating if, how and why students and teachers in secondary school develop knowledge and interests when working with SSI.

La medicalización de la sociedad, un contexto para promover el desarrollo y uso de conocimientos científicos sobre el cuerpo humano

“…De acuerdo con Díaz y Jiménez-Liso (2012), «de manera más general se definen como un asunto de opinión científico y/o tecnológico en el cual existe discrepancia entre los diversos actores y fuerzas sociales que participan en el proceso ya sea por desacuerdo, discusión o debate». Como se refleja en estas definiciones y en el trabajo de autores como Kolsto (2001), Sadler (2004) y Ekborg et al (2010), estos temas se caracterizan por ser abiertos, complejos y controvertidos como resultado de la ausencia de acuerdo científico y de una respuesta única y definitiva en torno a ellos (ya que son situaciones nuevas que se sitúan en lo que se denomina ciencia frontera). Esta dimensión controvertida asociada a la mayoría de CSC es debida a diferencias sobre el contenido y la naturaleza de la ciencia (percepción del riesgo, interpretaciones de datos empíricos y teorías científicas), el impacto social de la ciencia y la tecnología (Levinson, 2006).…”

Knowledge and Practices in Teaching Socio-scientific Issues Among Malaysian Primary School Science Teachers

“…The above studies indicate that teacher's knowledge is of great importance to determine the effectiveness of a teacher in a science classroom (Ekborg, Ideland, & Malmberg, 2009;Bartholomew et al, 2004). From the literature, it was found that there are five main components that bring out the knowledge and practice of a teacher in teaching science using SSIs.…”

“…This is because in order to address the controversial issues in science classes, it requires teachers to have a broad range of knowledge, such as economics, politics, ethics, technology, health, and environment (Ekborg et al, 2009). In addition, teachers indicate that these issues can cause conceptual difficulties to teachers and students (Hestness, McGinnis, Riedinger, & Marbach-Ad, 2011).…”

Tracing physical movement during practice-based learning through multimodal learning analytics

“…Real cases presented as authentic dilemmas in society instead have the potential to motivate and engage students learning socio-scientific issues (Aikenhead, 2006(Aikenhead, , 2007Oscarsson, Jidesjö, Karlsson & Strömdahl, 2009). According to Ekborg, Ideland and Malmberg (2009), school must offer students opportunities to develop skills and competence to take part in the official debate concerning authentic and contemporary challenges. To gain competence in taking informed decisions, students need training in cost-benefit analyses, judging risks, and taking a stand.…”

“…Such students gain a higher level of commitment; rather than simply consuming knowledge, they learn how to produce knowledge. Thereby, relevant and authentic knowledge formation occurs, from a socioscientific perspective of citizenship and developed literacy (Aikenhead, 2006;Ekborg, Ideland & Malmberg, 2009). …”