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Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Socioscientific Decision-Making As Troy D. Sadler Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Socioscientific Decision-Making as Integral Components of Scientific Literacy An argument is made that socioscientific decision-making occupies a seminal place in scientific literacy and attention to morality and ethics must be included in the science curriculum. Science educators have appropri- of socioscientific issues. This paper reform did not coin the phrase; in fact, it ated many meanings for the phrase reviews how the Science-Technol- has appeared in the literature for almost “scientific literacy” (Champagne & ogy-Society movement has addressed fifty years. Paul Hurd is credited with Lovitts, 1989). This paper advances socioscientific decision-making and first publishing the phrase in 1958, an argument that in order to main- outlines an alternative approach that but the notion that underlies scientific tain the usefulness of such a mal- more explicitly focuses on the moral literacy for all citizens can be traced leable phrase, its users must explicitly and ethical implications of socio- back to at least the beginning of the address the context of its use. Based scientific issues. century (Laugksch, 2000). Despite on the vision of science education (or maybe because of) the fact that articulated in standards documents Scientific Literacy Ambiguity scientific literacy has been a part of from the United States (American In the current era of standards and the landscape of science education Association for the Advancement of reform, the phrase “scientific literacy” for a considerable length of time, its Science, 1990); (National Research has garnered a great deal of attention meaning remains mired in debate. Council, 1996) and abroad (Council from the science education community. In today’s educational environ- of Ministers of Education Canada Despite the reform movement’s ment, “scientific literacy” has become Pan-Canadian Science Project, 1997; emphasis on scientific literacy, the the descriptor of science education’s Millar & Osborne, 1998; Queensland architects of modern science education ultimate aims. In many ways, it has School Curriculum Council, 2001), become the criterion for assessing this paper advances a conception of curriculum and pedagogy; new ap- scientific literacy which involves proaches are evaluated by the extent the negotiation of socioscientific to which they promote scientific issues. In other words, becoming In the current era of literacy. Consequently, researchers scientifically literate requires, at least standards and reform, and practitioners have a tendency to in part, the ability to make informed conceptualize the construct in man- decisions regarding socioscientific is- the phrase “scientific ners that support their own goals for sues. Central to socioscientific issues literacy” has garnered education. In other words, educators are moral and ethical implications; a great deal of attention substantiate their research and teach- therefore, the promotion of scientific ing agendas by linking them to the literacy requires curricular attention from the science promotion of science literacy, which to the moral and ethical implications education community. is frequently defined by their agendas SPRING 2004 VOL. 13, NO. 1 39 concept with building “scientific habits scientific literacy as a multifaceted of mind” which involves processes, construct including the following Despite (or maybe epistemic considerations, and attitudes elements: (Zeidler & Keefer, 2003). being familiar with the natural because of) the fact Responding to this apparent world and respecting its unity; incongruity, some authors claim that scientific literacy being aware of some of the that scientific literacy is an ill- has been a part of important ways in which math- defined concept of little practical ematics, technology, and the the landscape of utility (Champagne & Lovitts, sciences depend upon one an- 1989; Laugksch, 2000). The fact science education for other; understanding some of that educators appropriate multiple the key concepts and principles a considerable length meanings to the phrase supports the of science; having a capacity of time, its meaning contention that scientific literacy is for scientific ways of thinking; an ill-defined concept; however, this remains mired in knowing that science, mathemat- non-specificity does not necessarily ics, and technology are human debate. condemn the concept. Scientific enterprises, and knowing what literacy can still be useful in describing that implies about their strengths (Champagne & Lovitts, 1989; De- the aims of science education so long and limitations; and being able Boer, 2000; Laugksch, 2000). This as appropriate qualifiers and support to use scientific knowledge and tautology leaves the field with many are supplied. When appealing to ways of thinking for personal and distinct perceptions of what scien- scientific literacy, authors need to social purposes. (AAAS, 1990, tific literacy entails. Most science explicitly address their ideas regarding pp. xvii-xviii) educators would agree that promoting the concept and provide a rationale scientific literacy is a (if not the) for their given perspectives. In the The National Science Education primary goal of science education, tradition of qualitative research Standards define a scientifically liter- but no such consensus exists regard- (Lincoln & Guba, 1985), providing ate person as someone who is able to ing the meaning of scientific literacy such a description shifts the assessment “use appropriate scientific processes itself. The multiple definitions of sci- of applicability from the investigators and principles in making personal entific literacy tend to focus on three or authors to the audience. Because decisions” and “engage intelligently main areas: processes, knowledge, scientific literacy can mean different in public discourse and debate about and attitudes (Jenkins, 1990). Attempts things to different people, authors must matters of scientific and technological to operationalize scientific literacy qualify their use of the phrase so that concern” (NRC, 1996, p. 13). Both typically appeal to at least one of their readers can choose to accept or of these conceptualizations charac- these areas, and the arguments usually reject the stated position. terize scientific literacy as an active proceed along the following objective; they provide benchmarks lines: “The scientifically literate Operationalizing for using scientific knowledge and person accurately applies appropriate Scientific Literacy processes. A logical question to ask science concepts, principles, laws, The standards documents provided in response to this analysis is use of and theories in interacting with his by the American Association for the knowledge and processes towards universe” (Rubba & Andersen, 1978, Advancement of Science (AAAS; what end? In answering this ques- p. 450). This particular example high- 1990; 1993) and the National Research tion, it is important to remember the lights the knowledge dimension, but Council (NRC; 1996) as well as documents’ intended foci. We need equally viable statements are made perceived needs of current elementary look no further than the title of one, regarding the processes of science and secondary science students, Science for All Americans (AAAS, as well as attitudes towards science. provide the framework from which 1990), and the opening sentence of the Additionally, some delineations of scientific literacy will be framed for other, “scientific literacy has become a scientific literacy combine multiple this report. Science for All Americans, necessity for everyone” (NRC, 1996, goals as in the case of equating the a seminal reform document, defines p. 1). Scientific literacy is not a goal 40 SCIENCE EDUCATOR restricted to the academically elite modified foods. Because the class of they emerge in the context of real or those who show the promise of scientific issues that requires public life (Bingle & Gaskell, 1994; Kolstø, becoming tomorrow’s scientists, doc- input (as opposed to other scientific 2001). 2) Socially and politically active tors, and engineers; scientific literacy issues most frequently addressed by participants in a society dependent on is for every student. If this is the case, professional scientists) necessarily science and technology must also then scientific literacy cannot involve involves societal factors, these issues have an understanding of the nature of the level of technical sophistica- have been termed socioscientific science (NOS). NOS components such tion required by particle physicists, issues (Kolstø, 2001; Zeidler, Walker, as the efficacy of data and its analysis, molecular biologists, and chemical Ackett, & Simmons, 2002). Therefore, the evolutionary and revolutionary engineers. Most students will not at least one component of scientific nature of scientific epistemology, and become professional scientists and literacy must be the ability to negotiate the social embeddedness of scientific engineers and, therefore, will not need socioscientific issues and produce progress contribute to the status of to master the specifics of the de Broglie informed decisions. scientific claims. In order to apply hypothesis, posttranslational protein scientific knowledge, particularly regulation, or any number of other sci- to cases of social import, decision- ence discipline-specific information. Most science educators makers need an understanding of In fact, most professional scientists the nature of scientific knowledge probably do not even understand intra- would agree that (Kolstø, 2001; Sadler, Chambers,
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