1 Curriculum Emphases : Companion Meanings Dr. Douglas Roberts 1982 & 1995 as interpreted by Frank Jenkins

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 2 Curriculum Emphases "A curriculum emphasis is a coherent set of messages about science. … Such messages can be communicated both implicitly and explicitly. … The coherence and flow [of curriculum emphases] are matters of concern as much as the coherence and flow of the subject matter itself." (Douglas Roberts, 1982)

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 3 Companion Meanings (Roberts, 1995) “the simultaneous communication of two stories;” “double messages” “always present in textbooks and teaching” not always a “deliberate, systematic incorporation of companion meanings” two story lines: content and context or is it content and content parallel stories? may be implicit or explicit (a value choice)

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 4 Companion Meanings “Surely it is incontestable to say that context is a powerful communicator.” “Body language, nonverbal communication, and hidden curriculum” are powerful communicators. E.g., “One default message … is that the program is authoritarian, arbitrary and unreasoned.”

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 5 Original Curriculum Emphases (from goals for science education in curriculum documents) correct explanations solid foundation structure of science everyday coping science & technology decisions scientific skill development self as explainer

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 6 STSE Curriculum Emphases Science curriculum emphasis  nature of science emphasis Technology curriculum emphasis  science & technology emphasis Societal curriculum emphasis  STS-issues emphasis Environmental curriculum emphasis  society and the environment emphasis

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 7 Alberta Curriculum Emphases (restrictions applied on STSE) Science curriculum emphasis is  nature of science emphasis Technology curriculum emphasis  science & technology emphasis Societal curriculum emphasis  society and the environment emphasis

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 8 STSE: Science, Technology, Society & the Environment Curriculum Emphases science technology society & environment (See Alberta Education STS monograph.) Potential Components knowledge attitudes skills processes problem solving epistemology  theory of knowledge

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 9 A Usual Emphasis of KSAs in a Curriculum Emphasis Science Technology Society K S A

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 10 Science Curriculum Emphasis Curricular Components 1.scientific knowledge 2.scientific skills 3.scientific attitudes 4.scientific problem solving 5.nature of science Natures of Science 1.nature of science: T S 2.problem solving 3.processes 4.skills A students (S) usually learns from the bottom up, while the teacher (T) usually thinks from the top down.

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 11 Technology Curriculum Emphasis (potential components) Technological knowledge Technological skills Technological problem solving & design Technological attitudes Technology in science Technology in society Nature of technology (first or last for T/S?)

STS Monograph: Unifying the Goals of Science Education 12 Societal Curriculum Emphasis (potential components) Societal knowledge Societal skills Societal attitudes Societal decision making Society and science Society and technology Nature of society

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 13 Curriculum Emphases Summary In summary a curriculum emphasis for each unit: allows for systematic attention to all of the goals of education; i.e., makes both the inclusions and the omissions obvious provides students with sufficient time to reach S,T,S or E goals; e.g., 1 mon allows the teacher to develop a combination of content outcomes—pure science + STSE

14 Curriculum Emphases for Each Unit (Exercise: Fill in the chart for different courses.) Unit/CE (add unit name) Unit A:Unit B:Unit C:Unit D:Unit E: Science (NoS) Tech. (S & T) Soc/Env (issues)

Douglas A. Roberts, Science Education 66(2): (1982) 15 References Roberts, Douglas. (1982) Curriculum Emphases. Science Education 66(2), pp Roberts, Douglas et al. (1995) Companion Meanings. xxx Alberta Education STS Science Education. Alberta Education [by Frank Jenkins]