Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice
The current investigation aimed to study the impact of recent socio-scientific controversies, made public through the media, on the concepts and practices of a group of Natural Science teachers at the start of their careers. This study is particularly relevant at a time that is heavily marked by muc...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
2005-08-01
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| Series: | Investigações em Ensino de Ciências |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.if.ufrgs.br/ienci/artigos/Artigo_ID126/v10_n2_a2005.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818395284937375744 |
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| author | Pedro Reis Cecília Galvão |
| author_facet | Pedro Reis Cecília Galvão |
| author_sort | Pedro Reis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current investigation aimed to study the impact of recent socio-scientific controversies, made public through the media, on the concepts and practices of a group of Natural Science teachers at the start of their careers. This study is particularly relevant at a time that is heavily marked by much debate regarding the social and environmental impact of several scientific and technological innovations and by the implementation of new science curricula, that stress the importance of discussing socio-scientific controversies in the context of students’ scientific alphabetisation (namely in their understanding of the nature of science and its relation to society and culture) (McComas, 2000). This investigation followed an interpretative approach of a qualitative nature. Through the construction of case studies, it sought to analyse the possible impact of socio-scientific controversies on the teachers’ concepts (about the nature, teaching and learning of science) and pedagogic practice. For data collection semi-structured interviews were conducted and classes observed.The controversial issues raised by certain recent technological innovations – namely the environmental, social and cultural impact they may have – did have an impact on the teachers’ concepts about the nature, teaching and learning of science. Besides reinforcing the duality of feelings as regards science and technology, as a source of both progress and concern, they triggered in these teachers the idea of the need for a widespread scientific alphabetisation that empowers the population for understanding and deciding and acting upon these issues. However, the concept of scientific alphabetisation and the best way to achieve it vary among the teachers participating in this study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:14:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bda870d5db7842849638bea366be4268 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1518-8795 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:14:40Z |
| publishDate | 2005-08-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Investigações em Ensino de Ciências |
| spelling | doaj.art-bda870d5db7842849638bea366be42682022-12-21T23:14:04ZengUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulInvestigações em Ensino de Ciências1518-87952005-08-01102131160Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practicePedro ReisCecília GalvãoThe current investigation aimed to study the impact of recent socio-scientific controversies, made public through the media, on the concepts and practices of a group of Natural Science teachers at the start of their careers. This study is particularly relevant at a time that is heavily marked by much debate regarding the social and environmental impact of several scientific and technological innovations and by the implementation of new science curricula, that stress the importance of discussing socio-scientific controversies in the context of students’ scientific alphabetisation (namely in their understanding of the nature of science and its relation to society and culture) (McComas, 2000). This investigation followed an interpretative approach of a qualitative nature. Through the construction of case studies, it sought to analyse the possible impact of socio-scientific controversies on the teachers’ concepts (about the nature, teaching and learning of science) and pedagogic practice. For data collection semi-structured interviews were conducted and classes observed.The controversial issues raised by certain recent technological innovations – namely the environmental, social and cultural impact they may have – did have an impact on the teachers’ concepts about the nature, teaching and learning of science. Besides reinforcing the duality of feelings as regards science and technology, as a source of both progress and concern, they triggered in these teachers the idea of the need for a widespread scientific alphabetisation that empowers the population for understanding and deciding and acting upon these issues. However, the concept of scientific alphabetisation and the best way to achieve it vary among the teachers participating in this study.http://www.if.ufrgs.br/ienci/artigos/Artigo_ID126/v10_n2_a2005.pdfscience teachingsciencetechnology and society (STS)socio-scientific controversiesconceptionsteaching practices |
| spellingShingle | Pedro Reis Cecília Galvão Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice Investigações em Ensino de Ciências science teaching science technology and society (STS) socio-scientific controversies conceptions teaching practices |
| title | Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice |
| title_full | Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice |
| title_fullStr | Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice |
| title_short | Socio-scientific controversies and beginning teachers’ pedagogical practice |
| title_sort | socio scientific controversies and beginning teachers pedagogical practice |
| topic | science teaching science technology and society (STS) socio-scientific controversies conceptions teaching practices |
| url | http://www.if.ufrgs.br/ienci/artigos/Artigo_ID126/v10_n2_a2005.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pedroreis socioscientificcontroversiesandbeginningteacherspedagogicalpractice AT ceciliagalvao socioscientificcontroversiesandbeginningteacherspedagogicalpractice |