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Below is a starting point for WP8's path towards a definition of Scientic Literacy which we can all use. See what you think and feel free to edit the starting definition by writing your full suggestion below the original and then briefly defending your change. We will occassionally update the concept map to show an evolving definition.

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{table:class=sidespalter} {table-row} {table-row} {table-cell:class=sidespalterTd1} Below is a starting point for WP8's path towards a definition of Scientic Literacy which we can all use. See what you think and feel free to edit the starting definition by writing your full suggestion below the original and then briefly defending your change. We will occassionally update the concept map to show an evolving definition.

Thanks....WP8

STARTING

S-TEAM

DEFINITION

OF

SCIENTIFIC

LITERACY

The

ability

and

willingness

to

take

action,

alone

and

with

others,

using

scientific

curiosity,

knowledge,

skills,

strategies,

and

Here is a perspective on Scientific Literacy from Colin Smith

First thoughts on definitions of Scientific Literacy

Colin Smith 28/06/09

colin.a.smith@btinternet.com

{+}{color} For

For me,

our

definition

of

scientific

literacy

should

incorporate

the

following

*

In

line

with

some

perspectives

on

general

literacy

(e.g.

Baynhan,1995),

present

scientific

literacy

as

a

range

of

practices

and

levels.

We

don't

all

need

the

professional

(and

different)

forms

of

scientific

literacy

attained

by

nuclear

physicists

or

immunologists,

but

we

do

need

forms

of

scientific

literacy

that

allow

us

to

make

informed

contributions

to

debates

on

nuclear

power

and

MMR

vaccinations.

*

Acknowledge

differences

between

scientific

disciplines,

particularly

in

the

ways

they

describe

and

explain

relevant

phenomena

(see,

for

example,

Mayr,

1997,

2004;

Rosenberg,

1985)

*

As

implied

by

the

first

point

and

in

line

with

S-TEAM

aims,

incorporate

the

educational

aim

of

empowering

people

to

participate

in

decision

making

within

technologically

advancing

democracies.

The

original

definition

is

strong

on

this

last

point

but,

I

think,

requires

to

emphasize

the

others

more.

So

below

is

an

attempt

to

maintain

the

features

of

the

original

definition

while

incorporating

these

others.

Inevitably,

perhaps,

it

is

getting

longer

and

clumsier.

_

The

ability

and

willingness

to

take

actions,

alone

and

with

others,

that

use

appropriate

mixes

of

scientific:

curiosity;

disciplines'

knowledge,

concepts

and

theories;

skills;

strategies

and

meta

knowledge

to

autonomously

create

empirically

supported

understandings

that

give

sufficient

meaning

to

allow

participation

in

decision

making

in

those

life

contexts

where

scientific

thinking

is

relevant.

_

Bayhnan,

M.

(1995)

_

Literacy

Practices:

Investigating

Literacy

in

Social

Contexts

_

.

London:

Longman.

Mayr,

E

(1997)

_

This

is

Biology:

The

Science

of

the

Living

World

_

.

Cambridge:

The

Belknap

Press

of

HarvardUniversity

Press.

Mayr,E.

(2004)

What

Makes

Biology

Unique?

_

Considerations

on

the

Autonomy

of

a

Scientific

Discipline.

_

Cambridge:

CambridgeUniversity

Press.

Rosenberg,

A.

(1985)

_

The

Structure

of

Biological

Science

_

.

Cambridge:

CambridgeUniversity

Press.

Colin

Smith {table-cell} {table-cell:class=sidespalterTd2} {table-cell} {table-row} {table-row} {table}

Smith

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Here is a perspective on Scientific Literacy from Colin Smith

First thoughts on definitions of Scientific Literacy

Colin Smith 28/06/09