The Socioscientific Issues Approach: Addressing Controversial Issues in the Science Classroom

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How do you address controversial science issues in your classroom instruction? Our guests this week are the co-authors of a recent Phi Delta Kappan publication (read below) that might give you some insight in how to help prepare students to become scientifically literate citizens by incorporating socioscientific issues in the classroom. David Owens (College of Education, University of Missouri), Troy Sadler (professor of education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro) and Dana Zeidler (university professor of science education, University of South Florida) join us to talk about their article, discuss an instructional framework for successfully implementing socioscientific issues as learning experiences, and highlight the importance of evaluating scientific evidence when tackling these issues in the science classroom.

David C. Owens, Troy D. Sadler, and Dana L. Zeidler

Controversial issues in the science classroom has been posted to kappanonline.org. The link is: http://www.kappanonline.org/owens-controversial-issues-science-classroom/

Links:

  • Controversial Issues in the Science Classroom has been posted to kappanonline.org. The link is: http://www.kappanonline.org/owens-controversial-issues-science-classroom/
  • Find SSI Teaching materials at ri2.missouri.edu
  • An NSTA Book on K-12 SSI that includes an introduction for teachers new to this approach and integrated SSI lessons across science disciplines. (Zeidler, D.L. & Kahn, S.  (2014). It’s Debatable: Using Socioscientific Issues to Develop Scientific Literacy, K-12. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press)

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