Climate change is a growing global crisis with short and long-term physical and human impacts. Although climate change is a global occurrence, the impacts of climate change are not felt equally among all locations and all groups of people. Climate justice education is a form of social justice education that invites students to consider how the…

This study addresses the inadequacies of the traditional ninth-grade science curriculum at The Charter School of Wilmington (CSW) and proposes a focused initiative to enhance the curriculum's relevance and effectiveness. The current Integrated Science & Research curriculum lacks socioscientific inquiry, neglecting to incorporate social issues…

The course Biology and Society," offered as an undergraduate course at Cornell under their Science, Technology, and Society Program, is described. (Author/JB)

Avi Hofstein and Robert E. Yager recently published "Societal Issues as Organizers for Science Education in the 80's" (EJ 273 207). Objections to their thesis are discussed indicating, among others, that their suggestions would be counterproductive to their stated goals and open to dangerous manipulation by anti-scientific factions and social…

Offers a defense of societal issues as organizers for school science programs in response to criticisms of this thesis discussed in SE 534 649. Indicates that there appears to be no evidence that using nontraditional topics as organizers will make science more subject to manipulation and perversion. (JN)

The special function of curriculum development is to select and organize the content so that the desired goals of the curriculum are most effectively achieved. Various curriculum development models are examined, and issues that should be emphasized in the development and implementation of a science-technology-society curriculum are discussed. (RM)

It is noted science education is in a major period of transition, largely because of major problems facing society today. The feeling expressed is that science teaching designed to respond to societal demands of the 1960's is inappropriate for the demands of the 1980's. Possible directions for new programs are discussed. (MP)

Deals with how secondary schools in the United Kingdom ought to be concerned not only with teaching the science of nuclear processes but also with: (1) the technologies associated with power generation from the processes, and (2) the possible social effects of such technologies. (SK)

Student interest was stimulated and critical thinking skills developed through an "Issues in Social Biology" course which include several topics in genetics. Judicious selection of topics, course format, and ordering of subjects are discussed, along with suggestions for course improvement development. (DH)

Originally prepared for the Science Council of Canada, this document presents a rationale and general framework for a science and society curriculum for Canadian students. Pointing out ways in which citizens are scientifically illiterate, it argues that science education must address social issues and prepare individuals to make social and…

Socioscientific issues encompass social dilemmas with conceptual or technological links to science. The process of resolving these issues is best characterized by informal reasoning which describes the generation and evaluation of positions in response to complex situations. This article presents a critical review of research related to informal…

Highlights findings of assessment studies indicating importance of emphasizing science/society theme in science/social studies curricula. Suggests linking learning experiences in science/social studies by discussing public issues related to science and fostering decision-making as a way of thinking about public issues and policies. (Author/JN)

Discusses interests of various social groups in supporting trend to help students relate science to current issues and practical applications, pointing to issues in science/technology/society (STS) curricula that need to be addressed by science teachers and describing some organizational decisions that need to be made in developing STS curriculum…