Introduction to the Special Issue on Courting Controversy: Socioscientific Issues and School Science and Technology/Introduction au numéro spécial sur rechercher la controverse: les questions socio-scientifiques dans les cours de sciences et de technologie à l'école

Abstract

Abstract This Special Issue of the Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education is aimed at extending the dialogue on socioscientific issues (SSIs) research, with an emphasis on the use of controversy in educational contexts. The emergence of research on SSIs can be understood in terms of: calls for renewal in science curriculum that set the stage for teaching scientific concepts and processes within a rich social, political, and ethical context; the development of a scientific and technical culture; a new alliance between science education and citizenship education; and increased interest in the use of argumentation in science education. Debates at the international level about deep changes in the modes of knowledge production; relationships across science, technology, society, and environment (STSE); and educational forms, contents, and aims have prompted the inclusion of issues and controversial topics in education. In our editorial we offer our thoughts on SSIs in school science a...