Science-technology-environment-society Research Articles

Impacts of The POGIL Learning Model Combined With a SETS Approach on Chemical Literacy and Science Process Skills in The Context of Buffer Solutions

<p>This study evaluates the impact of the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) model combined with a Science-Technology-Society-Environment (SETS) approach on chemical literacy and science process skills within buffer solutions. Employing a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, the research involved 71 students divided into experimental and control groups. Cluster random sampling was utilized for participant selection, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal a significant effect of the POGIL learning model integrated with a SETS approach on simultaneously enhancing students' chemical literacy and science process skills. This outcome is substantiated by the MANOVA results, which indicate a significance level of 0.000, falling below the threshold of 0.05, thereby leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis (H0). Notably, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements compared to the control group. Chemical literacy in the experimental group reached 79.90%, significantly higher than the 62.53% observed in the control group. Additionally, the N-gain scores for the experimental and control groups were 0.70 and 0.32, respectively, categorized as high and medium. Furthermore, the percentages of science process skills were 91.61% in the experimental group and 82.37% in the control group, both in the very good category. These results underscore the effectiveness of combining POGIL with a SETS approach in elevating chemical literacy and science process skills, suggesting this method is a potent educational tool in chemical education.</p>

Science, Technology, Society, Environment Training Model to Improve Positive Attitudes of Early Childhood Teachers in the Environment

The lack of positive attitude may be caused by the weak implementation of environment education. One of the ways to solve the problem is by preparing prospective early childhood teachers to have the ability to instill environment concern to their students as early as possible so that the students grow up becoming people who care about the environment. The purpose of this research is to develop training scenarios on environmental education using Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) model integrated into scientific thematic lessons, particularly for prospective early childhood teachers. This research is kind of development research. There were three aspects assessed by these experts namely usability, accuracy, and feasibility employing quantitative and qualitative data analyses. User judgment came from the prospective teachers done through interviews, and the data from these interviews were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results involved three expert assessments in the field of early childhood, environmental education, and educational technology, although further analysis is required. Subsequent investigation conducted on the subject user group, indicating a positive value of 83.3%, in support of the product. Therefore, the efficiency test results showed the training on environmental education using the Environmental Education Training with STSE model and integrated with scientific thematic lessons, were known to enhance 32.44% of all aspects of the prospective teacher's positive attitudes on the environment.

Training Scenario Development on Environmental Education Using The STSE Model to Improve Positive Attitudes of Prospective Early Childhood Education Teachers towards The Environment

The purpose of this research is to develop training scenarios on environmental education using Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) model integrated into scientific thematic lessons, particularly for prospective early childhood teachers. In addition, product efficiency on the positive attitudes of the trainers towards the environment was examined. The above-mentioned objectives are possibly achieved with the following activities: 1) initializing the Borg Gall model (1999) and 2) assessing the resulting product value using t-test, termed pre-test and post-test. Therefore, the applied simulations were declared suitable for use after series of developmental events.The results involved three expert assessments in the field of early childhood, environmental education, and educational technology, although further analysis is required. Subsequent investigation conducted on the subject user group, indicating a positive value of 83.3%, in support of the product.Therefore, the efficiency test results showed the training on environmental education using the STSE model and integrated with scientific thematic lessons, were known to enhance 32.44% of all aspects of the prospective teacher's positive attitudes on the environment.

Humanistic science education: The history of science and other relevant contexts

AbstractThis article offers a retrospective synopsis of 70 years of development of a humanistic approach to science education. Instruction using the history of science, for example, provides a rich context for students to learn not only canonical science content on a need‐to‐know basis, but also content from the other domains of humanistic science education, including: the nature of science and scientists, cultural studies, and the multifarious interplay between science/scientists and society. The synopsis leads to the conclusion that instructional materials and student assessment tools developed earlier for teaching the history of science are relevant today. Science–technology–society–environment and socioscientific issues, two of the present six domains of humanistic school science, are given special attention. An example of their teaching materials is described, which illustrates in detail how to organize lessons or units particularly suited for the substantial majority of high school students who would not enroll in any current science classes if not required for graduation. Trends suggested for the future are based on shifts in current global economics.

Fostering Students’ Critical Thinking Skill in Chemistry through Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) Collaborative Learning

Learning activities always develop following the needs of the times. Some skills, such as critical thinking, need to be possessed by 21st-century individuals. This study aims to analyze critical thinking skills of students who learn collaboratively based on the Science, Technology, Society, and Environment (STSE) learning approach. A posttest nonequivalent control group design was adopted in this research. Through cluster random sampling, 68 students at one public senior high school in Sleman Yogyakarta, participated as a research sample, which divided into 2 classes. Students in experimental class (N=35) has been learn about electrolyte nonelectrolyte topic through collaborative learning based STSE approach. While, the other students in the control class (N=34), taught by student center learning. In the fifth meetings, students’ critical thinking skill was measured as a research data through an essay questions instruments that has been empirically validated. Afterwards, research data were analyzed using independent sample t-test. Moreover, the p-value shown in the analysis results was 0.009. This result is sufficient to indicate that at the 95% confidence level there is a significant difference in students' critical thinking skill between the experimental class and the control class. The partial eta squared value shows that STSE learning approach has an effect to fostering students’ critical thinking in learning chemistry, in this research there was 9.8% effect that can be highlighted.

Development of Science Module SETS Approach to Strengthen Cognitive Learning Outcomes of Elementary School Students

At present, there is still a lack of teaching materials in Elementary Schools, specifically science that is suitable to the needs of students and encourages students to care about their environment. The purpose of this study is to develop a Natural Sciences module with the STSE (Science, Technology, Society, Environment) approach to strengthen cognitive learning outcomes in Elementary Schools. The method used is the research development of the modified Borg and Gall model, namely preliminary studies, development stages, and evaluation stages. The research subjects were grade IV students, Public Elementary School Kangkung 1 Mranggen. Data collection instruments used were observation sheets, tests, questionnaires, and documentation. Analysis of research with t-test and n-gain test to determine the comparison of modules, as well as improvement of learning outcomes. The results of the study that the Natural Sciences module, with the STSE approach, is valid for use. The results of trials with the t-test show the difference between the use of modules and student books, N-gain module usage scores 0.723 with a very high category. The practicality test shows a practical module so that students and teachers can accept it. The Science Module STSE approach can be used as a substitute for teaching material on the theme of the environment around Grade IV Elementary School.

To what extent does genetic content in textbooks contribute to scientific literacy? Analysis of STSE issues in textbooks

Our article analyses science-technology- society-environment (STSE) issues in the genetics-related chapters of Portuguese natural sciences and biology textbooks and considers how they contribute to students’ scientific literacy. We inspected manner of imparting of the decontextualized and socially neutral view of science and technology (S&T) as an obstacle for achieving scientific literacy. Our sample comprised four textbooks, two for the 9th and two the 12th grades. We identified and content-analytically analyzed 1019 STSE statements with regard to their compliance with previously proposed criteria. We quantitatively analyzed the statements’ frequencies. We noted an attempt to approach STSE issues, but we found important deficiencies in all the textbooks, as well as indicators of a distorted view of science. We discuss possible influences of the socio-cultural context in the selection of STSE contents, in the terms being applied, as well as in the S&T conceptions displayed by the textbooks.

How do Detergents Work? A Qualitative Assay to Measure Amylase Activity

We present a practical activity focusing on two main goals: to give learners the opportunity to experience how the scientific method works and to increase their knowledge about enzymes in everyday situations. The exercise consists of determining the amylase activity of commercial detergents. The methodology is based on a qualitative assay using a colorimetric process. Quantitative results are also obtained by measuring the halo formed. This activity is suitable for and adaptable to learners at different levels of education: primary school, secondary education or even for pre-service teachers, which is the group the version described in this paper was intended for. This laboratory activity was designed to include the scientific method as a learning outcome. This was especially important in pre-service teachers, as increasing scientific literacy is one of the primary goals of science education. Through the activity, students also learn about micro-organisms and their applications in their daily lives, which is one of the tenets of Science–Technology–Society–Environment programs. A case study was conducted with a group of learners made up of 75 pre-service teachers from Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, in order to verify whether this lab activity is well designed and can be satisfactorily implemented.

Science, Technology, Environment, Society (STES) Literacy for Sustainability: What Should it Take in Chem/Science Education?

Ensuring sustainability requires a paradigm shift in conceptualization, thinking, research and Science education, particularly concerning the science-technology-environment-society (STES) interfaces. Consequently, STES literacy requires the development of students’ capabilities via higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS)-promoting teaching, assessment and learning strategies. Striving for sustainability and the consequent paradigms shift, from unlimited growth to sustainable development, makes the corresponding paradigms shift in science, environmental and technology engineering education, from algorithmic teaching to HOCS learning, to become unavoidable. The identified paradigms shift refect the ever-increasing social pressure towards more accountable, socially- and environmentally-responsible sustainable action. Concomitantly, this pressure constitutes the driving force for STES education for sustainability. This requires HOCS for responsibly dealing with multi-dimensional, socio-economical-technological-environmental systems. Our research findings and educational practice suggest, that, although the road to STES literacy for sustainability is rocky, it is educationally feasible and, therefore, attainable.

O ensino de Ciências na escola básica e a universidade: considerações sobre formação inicial e continuada de professores a partir de uma pesquisa participativa via abordagem CTSA no sul fluminense

Neste trabalho, discutimos os primeiros resultados da pesquisa “Ensino de Ciências: desempenho de estudantes, práticas educativas e materiais de ensino”, inserida no Programa Observatório da Educação/Capes. Nosso objetivo é analisar como a relação Ciência, Tecnologia, Sociedade e Ambiente (CTSA) está expressa na prática docente do ensino de Ciências para o ensino médio e no desempenho dos estudantes nas questões do Enem sobre energia. Apresentamos uma análise preliminar sobre o curso de formação continuada de professores de Ciências, no qual se adotou a metodologia CTSA sob a perspectiva freireana dos temas geradores. Por fim, ressaltamos a importância desse projeto para a formação dos pós-graduandos e licenciandos do nosso grupo ao confrontá-los diretamente com os saberes dos professores e promover uma prática participativa envolvendo a universidade e a escola básica.Palavras-chave: Ensino de Ciências na Escola Básica. CTSA. Temas Geradores. Pesquisa Participativa

Science and Technology Education in the STES Context in Primary Schools: What Should It Take?

Striving for sustainability requires a paradigm shift in conceptualization, thinking, research and education, particularly concerning the science-technology-environment-society (STES) interfaces. Consequently, ‘STES literacy’ requires the development of students’ question asking, critical, evaluative system thinking, decision making and problem solving capabilities, in this context, via innovative implementable higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS)-promoting teaching, assessment and learning strategies. The corresponding paradigms shift in science and technology education, such as from algorithmic teaching to HOCS-promoting learning is unavoidable, since it reflects the social pressure, worldwide, towards more accountable socially- and environmentally-responsible sustainable development. Since most of the STES- and, recently STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics)-related research in science education has been focused on secondary and tertiary education, it is vital to demonstrate the relevance of this multifaceted research to the science and technology teaching in primary schools. Our longitudinal STES education-related research and curriculum development point to the very little contribution, if any, of the traditional science teaching to “know”, to the development of students’ HOCS capabilities. On the other hand, there appears to be a ‘general agreement’, that the contemporary dominant lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS) teaching and assessment strategies applied in science and technology education are, in fact, restraining the natural curiosity and creativity of primary school (and younger?) pupils/children. Since creative thinking as well as evaluative system thinking, decision making, problem solving and … transfer constitute an integral part of the HOCS conceptual framework, the appropriateness of “HOCS promoting” teaching, and the relevance of science and technology, to elementary education in the STES context, is apparent. Therefore, our overriding guiding purpose was to provide any evidence-based research to the vital LOCS-to-HOCS paradigm shift in STES education. The findings of, and conclusions derived from our longitudinal research on HOCS development within STES-oriented and traditional education, suggest that both—science and technology education (STE) and STES education—are relevant to primary school education. Based on this, what it should take to insure success in this context, is thoroughly discussed.

Science Education as a Call to Action

This article takes the view that both science, technology, society, environment (STSE) education and conventional forms of socio-scientific issues (SSI)-oriented science education are inadequate to meet the needs and interests of students faced with the demands, issues, and problems of contemporary life. A much more politicized approach is advocated, with major emphasis on social critique, values clarification, and sociopolitical action.

The effects of science, technology, society, environment (STSE) interactions on teaching chemistry

This study aimed to investigate the effects of making Science, Technology, Society and En-vironment relations on students’ comprehen-sion of chemistry topics through teaching che-mistry using STSE approach at secondary level. The study made use of the research model where pre and post tests were administered to control and treatment groups. The Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) was used in the study. The sampling consisted of Grade 9 students studying at Anatolian High School and Voca-tional High School. Since the sampling had not been equated, in order to determine students’ logical and spatial thinking skills, they were administered Logical Thinking Skill Test and Mental Rotation test as pretests. Students were chosen randomly to take part in two control and two treatment groups. This experimental study was applied to the treatment group in teaching of “Separation of Mixtures” topic in Grade 9 Chemistry course during a four-week period. Students in the control group were taught through the traditional teaching methods. The data obtained were analyzed through the SPSS Software. As a result of the study, statistically significant increases were observed in the achievement levels of treatment group which received instruction using STSE relations. The change observed in the achievement levels of the control group was not statistically signifi-cant. The difference between the achievement levels of control and treatment groups in the posttests were favoring the treatment groups.

Does STES‐Oriented Science Education Promote 10th‐Grade Students’ Decision‐Making Capability?

Today’s society is continuously coping with sustainability‐related complex issues in the Science‐Technology‐Environment‐Society (STES) interfaces. In those contexts, the need and relevance of the development of students’ higher‐order cognitive skills (HOCS) such as question‐asking, critical‐thinking, problem‐solving and decision‐making capabilities within science teaching have been argued by several science educators for decades. Three main objectives guided this study: (1) to establish “base lines” for HOCS capabilities of 10th grade students (n = 264) in the Israeli educational system; (2) to delineate within this population, two different groups with respect to their decision‐making capability, science‐oriented (n = 142) and non‐science (n = 122) students, Groups A and B, respectively; and (3) to assess the pre‐post development/change of students’ decision‐making capabilities via STES‐oriented HOCS‐promoting curricular modules entitled Science, Technology and Environment in Modern Society (STEMS). A specially developed and validated decision‐making questionnaire was used for obtaining a research‐based response to the guiding research questions. Our findings suggest that a long‐term persistent application of purposed decision‐making, promoting teaching strategies, is needed in order to succeed in affecting, positively, high‐school students’ decision‐making ability. The need for science teachers’ involvement in the development of their students’ HOCS capabilities is thus apparent.

Education in Environmental Chemistry: Setting the Agenda and Recommending Action. A Workshop Report Summary

Worldwide, the essence of the current reform in science education is a paradigm shift from algorithmic, lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS) teaching to higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) learning. In the context of education in environmental chemistry (EEC), the ultimate goal is to educate students to be science–technology–environment–society (STES)-literate, capable of evaluative thinking, decision making, problem solving and taking responsible action accordingly. Educators need to translate this goal into effective courses that can be implemented: this includes developing teaching strategies and assessment methodologies that are consonant with the goal of HOCS learning. An international workshop—"Environmental Chemistry Education in Europe: Setting the Agenda"—yielded two main recommendations for those undertaking educational reform in science education, particularly to promote meaningful EEC. The first recommendation concerns integration of environmental sciences into core chemistry courses as well as the development and implementation of HOCS-promoting teaching strategies and assessment methodologies in chemical education. The second emphasizes the development of students' HOCS for transfer, followed by performance assessment of HOCS. This requires changing the way environmental chemistry is typically taught, moving from a narrowly focused approach (applied analytical, ecotoxicological, or environmental engineering chemistry) to an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach.

The HOCS paradigm shift from disciplinary knowledge (LOCS) - to interdisciplinary evaluative, system thinking (HOCS): what should it take in science-technology-environment-society oriented courses, curricula and assessment?

Given the current world state of affairs, striving for sustainability and the consequent paradigm shift: growth-to-sustainable development, correction-to-prevention and options selection-to-options generation: the corresponding paradigm shift in science-technology-environment-society (STES) education is unavoidable. Accordingly, the essence of the current reform in STES education, worldwide, is a purposed effort to develop students' higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) capability; i.e., question-asking, critical system thinking, decision making and problem solving, at the expense of the "delivery" of lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS)-oriented knowledge. This means a paradigm shift from the contemporary prevalent LOCS algorithmic teaching to HOCS evaluative learning and HOCS-promoting courses, curricula, teaching strategies and assessment methodologies, leading, hopefully to evaluative thinking and transfer. Following the formulation of selected relevant axioms, major paradigm shift in STES research and education for sustainability have been identified. The consequent shift, in the STES context, from disciplinary to inter- and transdisciplinary learning, in science technology and environmental engineering education is discussed, followed by selected examples of successfully implemented HOCS-promoting courses, and assessment methodologies. It is argued, that transferable "HOCS learning" for sustainability can and should be done.

Environmental chemistry education in Europe: setting the agenda. 1st Workshop organised by the Committee on Education in Environmental Chemistry (CEEC) of FECS--Division of Chemistry and the Environment (DCE) in Rome, Italy, January 10-12, 2002.

Being aware of (a) the ever-increasing, consensusly accepted importance of the environment in the sustainable development/ science-technology-environment-society (STES) context; (b) the substantial meaningful contributing works by European organisations/networks, e.g. the ECTN (European Chemistry Thematic Network), Chem Division of FECS, the US ACSrelated Green Chemistry Institute and other environmental education (EE) associations and educators world-wide, concerned with the 'state of the art' in this and related areas; and , most important, (c) the current disciplinary/correction-interdisciplinary/prevention paradigm shift concerning the environment, the CEEC has gathered a select group of experts, people interested in and involved in Environmental chemistry Education and representatives of the above mentioned European FECS divisions and networks, for a 2-day workshop to be held in Rome on January 10-12, 2002, with the Italian Consiglio Nationale del Chimici being the host.

Algorithmic, LOCS and HOCS (chemistry) exam questions: Performance and attitudes of college students

The performance of freshmen biology and physics-mathematics majors and chemistry majors as well as pre- and in-service chemistry teachers in two Israeli universities on algorithmic (ALG), lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS), and higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) chemistry exam questions were studied. The driving force for the study was an interest in moving science and chemistry instruction from an algorithmic and factual recall orientation dominated by LOCS, to a decision-making, problem-solving and critical system thinking approach, dominated by HOCS. College students' responses to the specially designed ALG, LOCS and HOCS chemistry exam questions were scored and analysed for differences and correlation between the performance means within and across universities by the questions' category. This was followed by a combined student interview - 'speaking aloud' problem solving session for assessing the thinking processes involved in solving these types of questions and the students' attitudes towards them. The main findings were: (1) students in both universities performed consistently in each of the three categories in the order of ALG > LOCS > HOCS; their 'ideological' preference, was HOCS > algorithmic/LOCS, - referred to as 'computational questions', but their pragmatic preference was the reverse; (2) success on algorithmic/LOCS does not imply success on HOCS questions; algorithmic questions constitute a category on its own as far as students success in solving them is concerned. Our study and its results support the effort being made, worldwide, to integrate HOCS-fostering teaching and assessment strategies and, to develop HOCS-oriented science-technology-environment-society (STES)-type curricula within science and chemistry education.

Assessing conceptual change of teachers involved in STES education and curriculum devleopment - the STEMS project approach

Science-Technology-Environment-Society (STES) orientation in science education is currently being implemented in Israeli high schools within the framework of 'science for all' reform worldwide. This paper focuses on assessing the conceptual change of teachers who have been involved in the development, implementation, field-testing and evaluation of several modules. These modules constitute a grade 10-11 high school national curriculum titled STEMS - 'Science, Technology, Environment in Modern Society'. STEMS is aimed at developing an autonomous learner, capable of system thinking, decision making and problem solving within the real life STES context. We sensed that the intrinsic nature of STEMS curriculum requires that the teachers, who will teach it, will also be the developers of its modules. Involvement of this kind makes the teachers responsible for their own conceptual change, explanations and interpretations. Our formative evaluation indicates that the conceptual change of STEMS teachers was gradual. Participants differed with respect to what sort of 'treatment' or experience within the project actually affected who and when. It was apparent that the change occurred with respect to both their content knowledge and pedagogical views. A positive response towards teaching beyond the discipline boundaries was followed by teachers' active involvement and participation in the development process and team discussions. Thus, the STEMS project affected their teaching/learning perception towards interdisciplinarity. These findings are in accord with teachers' support of a life cycle approach for curriculum development as being suitable for achieving the STEMS objectives. The teachers emphasized the need to practice together with their students scientific inquiry and experiment design skills which, foster an autonomous learner. At the end of the first year of the curriculum development process, STEMS was finally conceptualized by the project teachers as a novel way of learning, rather than another sophisticated teaching technique. The major conceptual change was, the switch teachers made from the role of knowledge providers into that of learners. The interplay among action, participation and conceptualization turned out to be instrumental in our life cycle approach for developing the STEMS curriculum.

THE STATES-OF-MATTER APPROACH (SOMA) TO INTRODUCTORY CHEMISTRY

Chemistry, as an upper-secondary school subject for all, should aim to supply students with chemical literacy and chemical culture, to cultivate higher-order cognitive skills, and to be a useful, interesting, and enjoyable subject. A recently proposed chemistry programme for all students in grades ten and eleven (ages 15-17) in Greece, introduces chemistry through the separate study of the three states of matter [the states-of-matter approach (SOMA)]. There are three major units in the programme, namely: air and gases; salt, salts, and solids; water and liquids. The gaseous state is introduced first because it is the best prelude to the study of atoms and molecules; only a few non-metals and compounds, with small and simple molecules are studied. Ions, ionic bonds, or intermolecular forces are not involved until the unit of solids, as only the covalent bond is needed in the unit of gases. By placing the solid state second, we can study liquid solutions as well as acids and bases within the unit of liquids. The programme then moves into the applications of chemistry: plastics and polymers; drugs; foodstuffs; energy. Inorganic and organic chemistry are partially integrated. The overall approach is intermediate between a formal (‘academist’) and a science-technology-environment-society (STES) (‘practicalist’) one, while constructivist teaching and learning is incorporated. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2000, 1, 161-168]