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This study explores the experiences of two teachers participating in professional development workshops focused on supporting implementation of SocioScientific Issues (SSI) and aspects of social justice into STEM classrooms. SSI are ill-defined problems, with a basis in science, but necessarily include moral and ethical decisions that cannot be resolved through science alone. These debatable issues can enhance learning of STEM by engaging students in real-world and authentic problems. The USTRIVE project was developed to foster STEM learning through integrated professional development workshops and the development of professional learning communities to support teachers in the use of SSI and incorporation of aspects of social justice in their STEM classrooms. Two research questions were investigated: (a) To what extent did teachers implement SSI into their lesson planning during the project and (b) In what ways did teachers’ designed lessons change from the beginning of the workshop?
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Science, Society, and Self An Undergraduate Course for Imparting Social Context to STEM
A formal pedagogical push emerged and later blossomed in designing integrated curriculum between STEM and non-STEM areas in secondary and higher education. A growing cadre of research identifies positive learning outcomes for students participating in an integrated curriculum who apply basic STEM knowledge to investigate social problems and justice issues within social contexts. Research indicates STEM students demonstrate fewer concerns with social issues, often placing a greater interest in the value of individualism. This article outlines a new integrative course, Science, Society and Self, which was supported by a National Science Foundation grant to Iona College in the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The Development of Excellence in Science through Intervention, Resilience, and Enrichment (DESIRE) program seeks to increase retention and graduation rates for economically disadvantaged and high-aptitude STEM majors. Skills important for success in STEM courses are reviewed, as are service-learning and policy applications. We also explore the intersections between nature of science (NOS) and sociological concepts. This culminates in distinguishing public science issues by connecting the intersections of human biographies, history, and societal structures through the sociological imagination, as conceived by C. Wright Mills.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1643737
- PAR ID:
- 10378592
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of college science teaching
- Volume:
- 51
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 0047-231X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 10-16
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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This study explores the experiences of two teachers participating in professional development workshops focused on supporting implementation of SocioScientific Issues (SSI) and aspects of social justice into STEM classrooms. SSI are ill-defined problems, with a basis in science, but necessarily include moral and ethical decisions that cannot be resolved through science alone. These debatable issues can enhance learning of STEM by engaging students in real-world and authentic problems. The USTRIVE project was developed to foster STEM learning through integrated professional development workshops and the development of professional learning communities to support teachers in the use of SSI and incorporation of aspects of social justice in their STEM classrooms. Two research questions were investigated: (a) To what extent did teachers implement SSI into their lesson planning during the project and (b) In what ways did teachers’ designed lessons change from the beginning of the workshop?more » « less
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