Work package 8

Table with Conceptual Structure for WP8

Here's the table with a conceptual structure for WP8 which Jens explained in Trondheim.

Objectives: To integrate scientific literacy into teacher education in order to provide teachers with specific competencies required to teach for sc.lit. in all its aspects.

WP8 Deliverables

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Country Definitions of Scientific Literacy

Denmark

Danish Scientific Literacy

Purpose
Students should, through the teaching of the basic course realize the importance of knowing and understanding scientific thinking, and they must be able to relate to the strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge. Students should achieve knowledge of some key scientific issues and their social, ethical or historical perspectives, so they can express a knowledge-based view on issues and problems from a scientific perspective. Finally, students' curiosity towards and engagement in the scientific field should be supported and promoted.
Students should be able to:

- Carry out practical investigations and observations, both in the laboratory and in nature, including creating and assessing simple hypotheses.

- Use models that qualitatively and quantitatively describe simple relationships in nature and see the possibilities and limitations of such models.
- Communicate a scientific topic with a correct use of professional concepts.
- Put into perspective the contributions of scientific subjects to technological and societal development through examples.

Lessons must be organized so that:

- Students are stimulated to work actively with scientific issues, including taking part in dialogues using correct professional concepts.
- Students will work with various forms of written work which is designed with a clear progression in the requirements toward a final written product.
- In relation to written assignments and processing measured data, students should use Information Communications Technology (ICT) tools.

- Data processing should be included in the context of practical inquiry, and students should be presented with examples of computer modeling.

France

Hungary

Israel

Scientific Literacy - a combination of basic science knowledge, skills required for the future citizen, and attitudes towards science and technology.

Acquisition of scientific literacy may contribute to the future citizen's ability to evaluate scientific initiatives, understand the principles by which the natural world operates, think critically and independently, make informed decisions when choosing between alternatives, and cope with problems which include facts and interpretation, numbers and patterns, logical arguments and uncertainty.

Norway

United Kingdom

How science works

Data, evidence, theories and explanations

Pupils should be taught:

a how scientific data can be collected and analysed

b how interpretation of data, using creative thought, provides evidence to

test ideas and develop theories

c how explanations of many phenomena can be developed using scientific

theories, models and ideas

d that there are some questions that science cannot currently answer, and

some that science cannot address.

www.qca.org.221 g.uk/curriculumcience key stage 4

Practical and enquiry skills

Pupils should be taught to:

a plan to test a scientific idea, answer a scientific question, or solve a

scientific problem

b collect data from primary or secondary sources, including using ICT

sources and tools

c work accurately and safely, individually and with others, when collecting

first-hand data

d evaluate methods of collection of data and consider their validity and

reliability as evidence.

Communication skills

Pupils should be taught to:

a recall, analyse, interpret, apply and question scientific information or ideas

b use both qualitative and quantitative approaches

c present information, develop an argument and draw a conclusion, using

scientific, technical and mathematical language, conventions and symbols

and ICT tools.

Scotland

Turkey

A compilation of expressions related to scientific literacy in the Turkish secondary school science programs (physics, chemistry, biology) (2007)

Source: MEB (Turkish Ministry of National Education) (2009). Biology, Chemistry and Physics Curricula, Retrieved 15 August, 2009, from http://ttkb.meb.gov.tr/ogretmen/

The following list is a compilation of objectives (which also include objectives related to process skills and attitudes) related to scientific literacy in the Turkish secondary school science programs (grades 9 through 11). These programs have been recently renewed (in 2007). One concern about this compilation is that these three programs have been prepared by different people who put different amount of emphasis on different aspects of scientific literacy. Therefore, this compilation provides average information in terms of how much scientific literacy is emphasized in each program but does not provide an exact picture for each program. Since this is a compilation, the list is not necessarily in pedagogical order.

According to these programs, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and geology form the "physical sciences" and they use mathematics as a tool of thinking and language. Science is seen as a dynamic way of understanding which provides the most accurate explanations of the universe and life based on observations and experiments with a capability of changing these explanations based on developing observations and experiments. These programs state that students should be able to:

1.      Understand and accepts the nature of science,

2.      Comprehend the importance of observation and experimentation for understanding the universe,

3.      Develop skills for conducting experiments and evaluates experimental data to reach generalizations,

4.      State the results of observations, experiments and research orally and verbally,

5.      Use theory and models to describe and predict physical events,

6.      Express experiment results with tables and graphics, interprets tables and graphics,

7.      Becomes aware of the importance of scientific approach and critical thinking to interpret the world,

8.      Becomes sensitive toward environmental problems,

9.      Define science and understand that science help us understand the events in the universe,

10. Understand that science has a structure that is based on evidence and it allows questioning and falsification,

11. Realize that increase in knowledge in science accelerates.

12. Realize that scientific knowledge is not always absolute truth, but valid under certain limits,

13. Explain the role of evidences, theories and/or paradigms on how scientific knowledge changes,

14. Realize that the knowledge change in science is usually incremental, however, sometimes change occurs as a paradigm shift,

15. Realize that when new evidence appears, current scientific knowledge is tested, limited, corrected or renewed,

16. Understand key scientific concepts (in physics, chemistry and biology),

17. Investigate the relationship between science and philosophy,

18. Define technology and realizes technological change,

19. Understand that technological design is a process and it consists of several phases (specifying design features, pre-design, collaboration, use models and simulations, trial production and product evaluation),

20. Realize that technology is not good or bad in itself, but decisions on the use of technological products and systems may result in wanted or unwanted consequences and gives examples for these situations,

21.  Understand that no technological design is perfect in terms of usability, security, cost, esthetics and environmental effects. Features of materials used and natural laws limit technological products,

22. Realize that many men and women from different cultures contribute to science and technology,

23. Evaluate the role of continuous testing, reviewing, and criticizing in the development of science and technology,

24. Investigate the historical interaction between science and technology,

25. Explain, with examples, how a technological innovation contributes to development of knowledge in science,

26. Explains with examples how knowledge in science contributes to development of technology,

27. Understands the importance of relationship between science and technology in solving problems that we face in daily life,

28. Makes a technological design and explains the scientific knowledge used during the process,

29. Establish the link among different science fields in terms of scientific and technological applications,

30. Give examples of scientists who are well known around the world and give examples of their contributions to science,

31. Explain how individuals, society and environment influence science and technology,

32. Investigates the positive and negative influence of science and technology on individuals, society and environment (in social, cultural, economic, political, ethical and other areas),

33. Understands that it is possible to adopt measures against negative effects of technology through developments in science and technology and these effects could be reduced or eliminated,

34. Explain how to use technological products and systems to preserve natural resources, living beings and habitats and explain how to reduce hazardous waste stems from the use of products and systems,

35. Understand reasons and influence of local, national and global environmental problems,

36. Perceive that waste management is a social problem and become aware of the necessity of recycling or demolishing the damage that they would give to environment,

37. Join contemporary discussions about science and technology that may influence the future of individuals, society or environment,

38. Evaluate the economic, social and environmental costs of technological benefits,

39. Investigate the relationship between applications of science and ethical values,

40. Realize that there may be different opinions in the society about the adoption of ideas and applications in science,

41. Observe how society uses science and technology when making decisions about environmental problems,

42. Notice the importance and conditions of providing resources for the research projects in science and technology,

43. Make connections between science subjects and jobs that are based on science and technology,

44. Offer solutions by using science and technology for the social problems that are related to providing better life with individual, social and environmental needs in mind,

45. Give examples to the cases when today's knowledge in science and technology is insufficient for solving problems related to individuals, society and environment,

46. Explain the importance of sharing scientific and technological results through appropriate communication contexts (conferences, meetings, seminars, internet, television, radio, etc.),

47. Explain how an important milestone in science and technology changes the scientific community and society in general,

48. Realize that societies are in competition on science and technology developments,

49. Discuss possible solutions for local, national and global environmental problems,

50. Comprehend and discuss conservation methods for environment, wild life and natural resources,

51. Understand the responsibilities of individuals and societies for conservation of environment, wild life and natural resources,

52. Give examples for how men and society affect environment,

53. Become aware that one of the driving force for development in science and technology is the individual, societal and environmental needs,

54. Understand the necessity that when developing and using technology, individuals need to be responsible for themselves, society and environment,

55. Understand duties of national and international quality check/control agencies and their symbols which are used on products,

56. Evaluate benefits, quality and cost-price of assets that are used in daily life.

WP3 Mind The Gap Scientific Literacy Site

Here is a link to the new WP3 Mind The Gap scientific literacy site which uses concept maps and videos to create a learning environment about scientific literacy taught with Inquiry Based Science Methods. The site will be posted here after during the Lyon conference so you everyone can look it over. It is obviously under construction and comments about what might be useful in teacher education and what could be made more useful will be appreciated.

http://www1.ind.ku.dk/mtg/wp3/scientificliteracy/maps

WP8 group with e-mail Addresses

Here is our WP8 group with e-mail addresses to communicate with one another. When you add or change something of significance to us, let all or some of know via an e-mail reminder (so we don't all have to check this Wiki each day).