Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 5, Issue 1
FOREWORD

Using Social Issues as Contexts for K-16 Science Education
 

Robert E. YAGER

Professor of Science Education
University of Iowa
Science Education
769 Van Allen Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242

Email: Robert-yager@uiowa.edu
 

Contents
  • Abstract
  • Science-Technology-Society (STS) and Typical School Science
  • STS and Typical School Science
  • The National Science Education Standards (NSES)
  • Centrality of Contexts for Reform
  • References

    Abstract

    Social issues provide real life and motivational questions which are successful in engaging the minds of many people (especially students). When dealing with social issues, students see the importance of so-called basic concepts and skills in dealing with them. For most persons real mind engagement rarely occurs in educational settings. One important effort in science education to illustrate the advantages of the use of social issues as organizers for instruction has been termed the science-technology-society (STS) approach. A history of this approach in the U.S. is presented along with a fifty year history of its discovery and development highlighting the experiences of the author. This history includes major happenings in science and technology education, the challenges encountered, milestones identified, and an envisioned future.

     

    • Copyright (C) 2004 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 5, Issue 1, Foreword (Apr., 2004). All Rights Reserved.