20 - Ethics and social responsibility in science teaching — an exemplar “Aspects of human reproduction”

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the inclusion of ethics and social responsibility in science teaching and is based on material used in a secondary school in England, whose pupils are 11 to 18 years-old. Teaching style must be adapted to whatever topic is being studied. The idea of classroom discussion and debate can cause feelings of insecurity among teachers, but with appropriate preparation such activities can make lessons immensely rewarding. Teenagers rarely seem to consider becoming parents themselves in later years, and even less often do they think that they may be infertile. The first questions the teacher asks should be designed to get pupils thinking about infertility. In some societies, childlessness carries with it social stigma; it may be sufficient reason for a couple to be divorced. Many childless couples have a deep longing to become parents. This used to be achieved by some, at least, by adopting a child, but now there are fewer babies for adoption. A selection of definitions and questions are provided at the end of this paper in two appendices. Modifications can be made to the contents of the appendices to enable them to be used with pupils of different ages and abilities.