1st Cycle of Basic Education Teachers and their Engagement in Science and Technology
Keywords:
Scientific Culture, teachers, Basic Education, Public Engagement with Science.Abstract
In recent decades, research in science education, based on the Science-Technology-Society trinomial, has achieved a remarkable dimension, the result of the view that holds Science and Technology (S&T) as engines for the development of society. It is therefore important to understand the engagement of teachers in the 1st cycle of basic education, as they are one of the cornerstones of future development, in particular through the involvement they may inspire in their students. In this sense, this article seeks to understand the 1st cycle teachers (elementary school teachers (grades 1-4)) in the district of Guarda, Portugal, as social and cultural actors.
The results reveal a group of teachers with moderate interest in S&T issues and a lot of interest in topics involving environmental issues. The prominence of this subject suggests that the teachers have been influenced by educational policies as well as the extent of information acquired through the media on this topic. Although the sample consists of highly experienced teachers, they revealed a degree of engagement far short of what would be desired, indicating interest, almost exclusively, in attending debates and meetings on the environment.
As the teachers’ engagement in S&T is a result of their social and cultural interaction in society, the authors stress the importance of creating a social network to promote the creation of an "identity" which can deal with a world characterized by rapid scientific and technological change, solidifying the scientific knowledge of the teachers involved and optimizing the educational component of these social actors in the promotion and development of scientific literacy.
Â
Â
References
Aikenhead, G.. (2005). Research into STS Science Education. EducacioÌn QuiÌmica, vol.16, nº. 3, pp. 384-397.
Aikenhead, G. (2006). Science Education for everyday life: Evidence-based practice. New York: Teachers Open University Press.
Aikenhead, G.. (2007). Humanistic perspectives in the science curricula. In S. Abell, & N. Lederman, (Eds.), Handbook of Research in Science Education (pp. 881-910). Routledge: New York
Aikenhead, G., Renegociando a cultura da Ciência Escolar. Literacia CientÃfica para um Público Informado. Educação CientÃfica para todos, Edições Pegado, Mangualde, 2009.
Bingle, W., Gaskell, P., “Scientific literacy for decision making and the social construction of scientific knowledgeâ€, Science Education, vol.72, pp. 185-201, 1994.
Bolte, C., “A Conceptual framework for the enhancement of popularity and relevance of science education for scientific literacy, based on stakeholders´ views by means of a curricular study in chemistryâ€, Science Education International, vol. 19, no. 3, pp.331-350, 2008.
Burns, T., “Science communication: a contemporary definitionâ€, Public Understanding of Science, vol. 12, pp. 183-202, 2003.
Cachapuz, A., Paixão, F., Lopes, J., Guerra, C., “Do Estado da Arte da Pesquisa em Educação em CieÌ‚ncias: Linhas de Pesquisa e o Caso “CieÌ‚ncia-Tecnologia-Sociedadeâ€, Revista de Educação em CieÌ‚ncia e Tecnologia, vol.1, no.1, pp. 27-49, 2008.
Cachapuz, A., Praia, J., Jorge, M., Ciência, Educação em Ciência e Ensino das Ciências, Ministério da Educação, Lisboa, 2002.
Caraça, João, O que é Ciência, Quimera, Portugal, 2001.
Chin, C., “First-Year pre-service in Taiwan – Do they enter the teacher program with satisfactory scientific literacy and attitudes toward science?â€, International Journal of Science Education, vol.27, no. 13, pp. 1549-1570, 2005.
Costa, A., Ãvila, P., Mateus, S., Públicos da Ciência em Portugal, Gradiva, Lisbon, 2002.
DeBoer, G. E., “Scientific Literacy: Another look at its historical and contemporary meanings and its relationship to science education reformâ€, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, vol.37, no.6, pp. 582-601, 2000.
DeBoer. G. E., A History of Ideas in Science Education: Implications for practice, Teacher College Press, New York, 1991.
De Vos, W., Bulte, A. M., Pilot, A. “Chemistry curricula for general education: Analysis and elements of design. In J. K. Gilbert, R. Justi, O. de Jong, D. F. Treagust, J. H. Van Driel (eds.), Chemical Education: Towards research-based practice. Kluwer Academic Press. Dordrecht. pp. 101-124. 2002.
Durant, J., Two Cultures of public understanding of science and technology, in Europe in M. Dierkes and C. von Grote (Eds.), Between understanding and trust – The public, science and techonology, Travis & Francis Group, Oxon, pp. 61-74, 2003.
Eurobarómetro, Europeans, Science and Technology: Special Eurobarometer 340/Wave 73.1, Comissão Europeia - DG Research, Brussels, 2010.
Fensham, P., “Science for allâ€, Journal of Curriculum Studies, vol. 17, pp. 415-435, 1985.
Ferreira, M., Reis, C., “Atitudes e práticas dos professores do 1º CEB face à s ciências e ao ensino experimental das ciências: comparação entre escolas rurais isoladas e escolas urbanasâ€. LIBEC Line – Revista em Literacia e Bem-Estar da Criança, vol. 2, pp. 25-45, 2004.
Gallagher, J., “A broader base for science teachingâ€, Science Education, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 329–338, 1971.
Graber, W, “Schooling for life-long attention to chemistry issues: The role of interest and achievementâ€, in L. Hoffmann, A. Krapp, K. A. Renninger & Baumert (Eds.), Seeon – Conference on interest and gender, Seeon IPN Kiel, 1998.
Gross, A., “The roles rhetoric in the public understanding of scienceâ€, Public Understanding of Science, vol.3, pp. 3-23, 1994.
Holbrook, J., “Making Chemistry Teaching Relevantâ€, Chemical Education International, vol.6, no.1, 2005.
Holbrook, J., Rannikmae, M., “The nature of science education for enhancing literacyâ€, International Journal of Science Education, vol.29, no. 11, pp. 1347-1362, 2007.
Irwin, A., Michael, M. Science, Social Theory and Public Knowledge, Open University Press, Berkshire, 2003.
Irwin, A, Wynne, B., Misunderstanding Science? The public reconstruction of science as technology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1996.
Kerr, A., “Shifting subject positionsâ€, Social Studies of Science, vol.37, pp. 385-411, 2007.
Kolsto, S., “Consensus projeSTS: Teaching science for citizenshipâ€, International Journal of Science Education, vol.22, pp. 645-66, 2000.
Laugksch, R., “Scientific Literacy: A conceptual overviewâ€, Science Education, vol.84, pp. 71-94, 2000.
Macdougall, J., “A crisis of professional identity: how primary teachers are coming to terms with changing views of literacyâ€, Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 679-687, 2010.
Maddock, M., “Science Education: An anthropological viewpointâ€, Studies in Science Education, vol. 8, pp. 1-26, 1981.
Martins, C, Manual de Análises de dados quantitativos com recurso ao IBM SPSS – Saber decidir, fazer, interpretar e redigir, Psiquilibrios Edições, Braga, 2011.
Martins, I., Educação e Educação em Ciências [coletânea de textos], Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, 2002.
Mbajiorgu, N., Ali, A., “Relationship between STS approach, scientific literacy, and achievement in biologyâ€, Science Education, vol. 87, pp.31-39, 2003.
Melo, M., “Discutindo a aprendizagem sob a perspetiva da teoria ator-redeâ€, Educar em Revista, vol. 39, pp.177-190, 2011.
Miller, J., “The measurement of civic scientific literacyâ€, Public Understanding of Science, vol. 7, pp. 203-223, 1998.
Norris, S., Phillips. L., “How literacy in its fundamental sense is central to scientific literacyâ€, Science Education, vol. 87, no. 2, pp. 224–240, 2003.
Nwagbo, C., “EffeSTS of two teaching methods on the achievement in and attitude to biology of students of different levels of scientific literacyâ€, International Journal of Educational Research, vol.45, pp.216-229, 2006.
Osborne, J, “Attitudes towards science: a review of the literature and its implicationâ€, International Journal of Science Education, vol.25, pp.1049-1079, 2003.
Pella, M., O´Hearn, G., Gale, C., “Referents to scientific literacyâ€, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 199–208, 1966.
Popli, K., “Scientific literacy for all citizens: different concepts and contentsâ€, Public Understanding of Science, vol. 8, pp.123-127, 1999.
Slovic, P., Peters, E., “The importance of worldviews in risk perceptionsâ€, Journal of Risk Decision and Policy, vol.3, no.2, pp. 165-170, 1998.
Solomon, J., “Social influences on the construction of pupil´s understanding of scienceâ€, Studies in Science Education, vol. 14, pp. 62 – 68, 1987.
Weinstein, M., “Science/Educationâ€. In J.A. Weavwe, K.Anijar, & T. Daspit (Eds), Science fiction curriculum, cyborg teachers & youth culture(s). Peter Lang, New York, 2004.
Wenger, E., Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998.
Van Hook, S., Huziak-Clark, T. “Lift, Squeeze, Stretch and Twist: Research-based Inquiry Physics Experiences (RIPE) of Energy for Kindergarteners’â€, Journal of Elementary Science Education, vol. 20, no.39, pp. 1-16, 2008.
Van Veen, K., Sleegers, P., “How does it feel? Teachers' emotions in a context of changeâ€, Journal of Curriculum Studies, vol.38, no.1, pp. 85-111, 2006.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
- Papers must be submitted on the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis) and are not currently under consideration by another journal published by any other publisher.
- It is also the authors responsibility to ensure that the articles emanating from a particular source are submitted with the necessary approval.
- The authors warrant that the paper is original and that he/she is the author of the paper, except for material that is clearly identified as to its original source, with permission notices from the copyright owners where required.
- The authors ensure that all the references carefully and they are accurate in the text as well as in the list of references (and vice versa).
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
- The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.