Student Primary Teachers’ Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Biotechnology—Are They Prepared to Teach Biotechnological Literacy?

Abstract

The speed of development of biotechnology within agriculture, industry, and medicine has changed our lives, and we need a biotechnological literacy to understand it. This implies that teachers in primary schools need to be biotechnologically literate in order to educate future generations. The aim of this study was to investigate Swedish pre-service primary school teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards biotechnology and contextualize the results by comparing them with a corresponding group of Spanish teachers. Data was collected using the established questionnaire instrument Biotech XXI and analyzed statistically. The findings demonstrate that Swedish pre-service primary school teachers have knowledge gaps relating to the basic genetic concepts that underpin biotechnology, although they are aware of biotechnological applications. Their attitudes are quite positive towards biotechnological applications in health, but less so to buying and using genetically modified products. Higher levels of knowledge were correlated with more positive attitudes, indicating an attitudinal basis for expanding the knowledge of and teaching practices for biotechnology among primary teachers. The level of knowledge and attitudes in the Swedish sample were similar to those of the Spanish teachers, suggesting a similar situation may be prevalent in many countries. The results indicate a need to reconsider the science curricula within pre-service primary school teacher training programs in order to better prepare primary teachers for teaching biotechnological literacy.

Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Biotechnology in Stem Education as an Indicator of Scientific Literacy

“…Biotechnology is central to advancing scientific literacy for several reasons and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of science and its applications in various fields (Casanoves et al, 2015;de la Hoz et al, 2022). Biotechnological innovations are ubiquitous in everyday lives, from genetically modified organisms in agriculture to personalized medicine in healthcare.…”

“…Researchers have implied that scientific literacy goes beyond knowledge of facts to understanding the ethical dimensions associated with scientific advances (Bybee et al, 2009;Prokop et al, 2007;Zoller et al, 2012). As biotechnological innovations shape the future, a scientifically literate society is better positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities that arise (de la Hoz et al, 2022). Because biotechnology is at the forefront of addressing global issues such as food security, health disparities, and environmental sustainability, scientifically literate people can better contribute meaningfully to discussions and decisions impacting these critical areas.…”

“…In seeking this understanding, it is essential to consider the diversity of student populations and varying levels of engagement with biotechnology. Students from different demographic backgrounds, educational levels, and geographic locations may bring unique perspectives and experiences (de la Hoz et al, 2022;Erdogan et al, 2012;Sorgo et al, 2011). Consequently, a nuanced examination of student attitudes toward biotechnology should consider these contextual factors to provide a holistic view of the educational landscape.…”

“…With its transformative potential, biotechnology represents the convergence of biology, chemistry, and technology and provides a dynamic platform for students to engage with real-world applications of scientific principles (López-Banet et al, 2020). In the context of STEM education, biotechnology offers a unique approach to elucidating complex biological processes and fosters a holistic understanding of the natural world (Bahri et al, 2014;de la Hoz et al, 2022). The significance of biotechnology in developing a society with a high level of scientific literacy has become essential due to its nature as a socio-scientific issue (Carver et al, 2017;Kidman, 2009;Dawson & Venville, 2009).…”

Development of Basic Biotechnology Knowledge Scale (BBKS) with Rasch Measurement Model

“…There are various measurement tools using different types of questions to evaluate students' knowledge of biotechnology. Examples of these are open-ended questions (Chen & Raffan, 1999;Dawson & Schibeci, 2003;Kinderlerer & Beyleveld, 1998;Lock & Miles, 1993), true-false questions (Casanoves, González, Salvadó, Haro, & Novo, 2015;de la Hoz, Solé-Llussà, Haro, Gericke, & Valls, 2022;Gürkan & Kahraman, 2019;Klop & Severiens, 2007;Prokop, Leskova, Kubiatko, & Diran, 2007;Sıcaker, Öz Aydın, & Saçkes, 2020), Likert type scales (Lamanauskas & Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė, 2008;Yüce & Yalçın, 2012) and multiple choice questions (Atasoy, Atıcı, Taşar, & Taflı, 2020) tested on various samples including university students, pre-service teachers, elementary school and secondary school students. It Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi Elektronik Fen ve Matematik Eğitimi Dergisi Necatibey Faculty of Education, Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education seems from the measurement tools that there is a wide variety of measures in different countries for different samples and covering various topics of biotechnology.…”