Mapping controversies: A pedagogical approach for communicating about socioscientific issues
Mapping controversies: A pedagogical approach for communicating about socioscientific issues
The aim of this study was to investigate how a pedagogical approach designed to promote productive discourse and undistorted communication (Habermas, 1984) can enable secondary school students to communicate about socioscientific issues (SSIs). A small-scale qualitative study design was employed to explore how a group of 13 Biology students communicated about the badger – cattle controversy in the UK and which types of knowledge they use in this process. A pedagogical approach based on students mapping controversies in combination with asynchronous online communication was designed and implemented across 3 lessons to facilitate their communication process. The approach followed a familiarisation (mapping), exploration (discussing) and consolidation (mapping) stage. Our findings suggest that the approach was effective. Students’ controversy maps during the consolidation phase were conceptually different from those in the familiarisation phase, showing that they had a more developed understanding of the complexity of the SSI. The themes found during the consolidation phase were extensively discussed during the exploration phase. The online exchange allowed them to elaborate on their views and thinking, question each other, and draw on a range of knowledge types in deciding what should be done about the controversy. Implications for classroom practice and teacher education are discussed.
socioscientific issues, secondary school, teaching learning sequences
Rietdijk, Willeke
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Christodoulou, Antri
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Davies, Paul
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Grace, Marcus
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Levinson, Ralph
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Nicholl, Joanne
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29 June 2017
Rietdijk, Willeke
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Christodoulou, Antri
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Davies, Paul
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Grace, Marcus
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Levinson, Ralph
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Nicholl, Joanne
e1b8be2b-38f5-468f-900a-a4f5a80e2ab0
Rietdijk, Willeke, Christodoulou, Antri, Davies, Paul, Grace, Marcus, Levinson, Ralph and Nicholl, Joanne
(2017)
Mapping controversies: A pedagogical approach for communicating about socioscientific issues.
48th Annual Australasian Science Education Research Association Conference 2017: ASERA 2017, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
27 - 30 Jun 2017.
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Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate how a pedagogical approach designed to promote productive discourse and undistorted communication (Habermas, 1984) can enable secondary school students to communicate about socioscientific issues (SSIs). A small-scale qualitative study design was employed to explore how a group of 13 Biology students communicated about the badger – cattle controversy in the UK and which types of knowledge they use in this process. A pedagogical approach based on students mapping controversies in combination with asynchronous online communication was designed and implemented across 3 lessons to facilitate their communication process. The approach followed a familiarisation (mapping), exploration (discussing) and consolidation (mapping) stage. Our findings suggest that the approach was effective. Students’ controversy maps during the consolidation phase were conceptually different from those in the familiarisation phase, showing that they had a more developed understanding of the complexity of the SSI. The themes found during the consolidation phase were extensively discussed during the exploration phase. The online exchange allowed them to elaborate on their views and thinking, question each other, and draw on a range of knowledge types in deciding what should be done about the controversy. Implications for classroom practice and teacher education are discussed.
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Published date: 29 June 2017
Venue - Dates:
48th Annual Australasian Science Education Research Association Conference 2017: ASERA 2017, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, 2017-06-27 - 2017-06-30
Keywords:
socioscientific issues, secondary school, teaching learning sequences
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Local EPrints ID: 414985
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/414985
PURE UUID: 6faf5575-a995-48d0-9ce4-1a0bc95481a7
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Date deposited: 19 Oct 2017 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:08
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Contributors
Author:
Willeke Rietdijk
Author:
Paul Davies
Author:
Ralph Levinson
Author:
Joanne Nicholl
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