Socioscientific Issues: Making School Science Relevant

Case 8.1  Should controversial environmental issues be a part of biology/science curriculum?  Sandy attempted to adopt a neutral position. Is this the most appropriate approach? What are some other options?

Case 8.3  How should evolution and alternative ideas be handled in the classroom?  Should the religious issues associated with discussions of evolutions affect the presentation of this idea?  Is debate an appropriate strategy for evolution education? Spotted owls? Any science topic?

Initiatives to make science more accessible to learners:  STS: Science/Technology/Society Highlight the mutual interactions of science, technology, and society.Highlight the mutual interactions of science, technology, and society. Aims to make science personally useful.Aims to make science personally useful.  SSI: Socioscientific Issues An extension of STS.An extension of STS. Focuses on controversial social issues with conceptual or procedural ties to science.Focuses on controversial social issues with conceptual or procedural ties to science. Highlights the role of morality and ethics in the negotiation of issues.Highlights the role of morality and ethics in the negotiation of issues.

In current literature…  STS is a diffuse approach manifested in a variety of ways: STS courses to text boxes.  SSI decision-making is an integral component of scientific literacy: “being able to use scientific knowledge and ways of thinking for personal and social purposes” (AAAS, 1990, pp. xvii-xviii).“being able to use scientific knowledge and ways of thinking for personal and social purposes” (AAAS, 1990, pp. xvii-xviii). “use appropriate scientific processes and principles in making personal decisions” and “engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about matters of scientific and technological concern” (NRC, 1996, p. 13)“use appropriate scientific processes and principles in making personal decisions” and “engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about matters of scientific and technological concern” (NRC, 1996, p. 13)  SSI Examples: Cloning, the use of nuclear fuel, Global warming, stem cell research, xenotransplantation

SSI Strategies  Encourage discussion of the ethical aspects of controversial issues Use this as an opportunity to contrast science as a way of knowing v. other ways of knowing.Use this as an opportunity to contrast science as a way of knowing v. other ways of knowing. Many individuals respond to these issues with emotional and/or intuitive reactions. Allow for this kind of expression and encourage students to reflect on their ideas.Many individuals respond to these issues with emotional and/or intuitive reactions. Allow for this kind of expression and encourage students to reflect on their ideas.

 Discuss the uses and limitations of data/evidence.  Differentiate between the influence of values for science concepts v. SSI For example: Values contribute to decisions concerning the appropriateness of cloning. Values do not contribute to the determination of helium’s reactivity.For example: Values contribute to decisions concerning the appropriateness of cloning. Values do not contribute to the determination of helium’s reactivity.

STS/SSI Approaches  Add-ons Ex: Finish a unit on genetics; Discuss the use of DNA technologies for criminal investigationsEx: Finish a unit on genetics; Discuss the use of DNA technologies for criminal investigations Ex: Text boxesEx: Text boxes  Vehicles for addressing science content Present a problem for students to explore & cover content as needed.Present a problem for students to explore & cover content as needed. Ex: Discuss Global Warming as means to explore the nature of gases.Ex: Discuss Global Warming as means to explore the nature of gases. Ex: Genetic engineering as a context for exploring genetics.Ex: Genetic engineering as a context for exploring genetics. Ex: The use of nuclear power plants to investigate nuclear physics.Ex: The use of nuclear power plants to investigate nuclear physics.

Socioscientific Issues Framework Marijuana Fluoride Animal Rights Alcohol Organ Allocation Stem Cell Research Diet & Obesity Cosmetic Surgery Tobacco/Second- Hand Smoke Vaccines Dental Decay Osteoporosis Pharmaceutical testing Medical Research Liver Disease Addiction Heart Transplants Kidney Transplants Treatment of Disease Gene Therapy Heart Disease Cholesterol Botox & Tattoos Lasix Surgery Heart Disease Flu Pandemic AIDS Cancer Medical Benefits SSI Scientific Context Systems Involved Science Content & Concepts Nervous Lymphatic/ Immune Skeletal Digestive Integumentary Lymphatic/ Immune Nervous Muscular Urinary Cardiovascular Urinary Muscular Reproductive Nervous Digestive Cardiovascular Muscular Integumentary Nervous Muscular Respiratory Cardiovascular Lymphatic/ Immune Lung Disease -Structure and physiology of brain -Immune response to irritants and pathology -Structure of bone cells -Mineralization -Etiology of dental decay -Skin Reactions -Immune response -Testing methodologies -Impulse conduction -Sodium-potassium pump -Muscle cell structure/physiology -Nephron structure -Characteristics of living tissue Cell & tissue physiology -Criteria for organ transplants -Cell anatomy -Mitosis -Genetics and embryology -Chemical digestion -Heart cell anatomy/physiology -Conversion of chemical to mechanical energy -Structure of epithelial tissue and epidermis -Eye anatomy and physiology -Alveolar anatomy/physiology --Heart rate/blood pressure -Cancer characteristics -Antibodies & antigens -Development of Vaccines -Autism and side effects Example 1: An SSI-driven Anatomy Curriculum

Example 2: An SSI Unit  Context: Environmental Science  Unit Objectives Understand scientific principles underlying global warming (GW)Understand scientific principles underlying global warming (GW) Understand and critique sources of controversy associated with GWUnderstand and critique sources of controversy associated with GW Formulate/refine a personal position on GW—taking into account perspectives of science, technology, economics, politics, and ethicsFormulate/refine a personal position on GW—taking into account perspectives of science, technology, economics, politics, and ethics

What did this look like?: Daily Plans  Day 1: Drawing connections between GW and the lives of individuals  Day 2: Complexifying the issue: Examine GW from diverse perspectives  Day 3: Atmospheric Composition; Particulate Nature of Gases  Day 4: Modeling combustion reactions

 Days 5-6: CO 2 Labs Collect CO 2 & determine relative concentrationCollect CO 2 & determine relative concentration  Day 7: Modeling the greenhouse effect  Day 8: Possible consequences of GW  Day 9: Graph analysis: Global data sets  Days 10-11: Webquest: Evaluating web-based materials  Days 12-13: Developing & defending a position: What should the US do in response to GW?

Example 3: An SSI Activity  Topic: Gene therapy  Focus: Understanding multiple perspectives on the issue.  Strategy: Jigsaw