Download Controversial Science Topics

Sensitive/Controversial Topics
in Science Education (USA)
Controversial Topic (CT) Definition
 “Issues that deeply divide a society, that generate
conflicting explanations and solutions based on
alternative value systems, are considered
controversial” (Harwood & Hahn, 1990).
 “Controversial issues are important policies or
proposals on which conflicting views are held by
large numbers of people in schools, community and
nation” (The School District of Philadelphia, 1990)
Identified Earth System Controversial Topics
in Science Education (USA)
NESTA Survey of Earth and Space Science Teachers about Needs/Concerns
Controversial Topic
Evolution
% Feeling Difficulty or Pressure from
Parents, Students, Administrators, or
Other Community Members
68%
(see Buxton & Provenzo, pp. 14-15)
Age of the Earth
47%
Climate Change
43%
Solar System
Formation
22%
Planetary Formation
13%
There were 275 respondents to this survey (Johnson, 2011).
Teaching Strategies For Sensitive/CTs
 “Most strategies for teaching students about values
issues during the 1970s and 1980s followed the same
basic rule: Present the students with the dilemma,
give them rational processes for thinking through
the dilemma, but do not try to impose your own
values on them” (DoBoer, 1991, p. 181).
Teaching Strategies for Sensitive/CTs
 Begin by teaching relevant science content, then
discuss related policy or economic issues, and end by
having students explore their own personal stances
(Kirk, 2011).
 Provide students with “solid background
information, multiple perspectives, guidelines for
discussing issues as a group, substantive discussion
questions, and strong follow-up” (Cannard, 2005, p.
15).
Teaching Strategies for Sensitive/CTs
 Focus on using the scientific practice of using
evidence to support knowledge claims
(Duschl, 1990; Kelly & Takao, 2002).
 Have students analyze the scientific data themselves
(McGinnis, Hestness & Riedinger, 2011; Kirk, 2011).
Sample Sensitive Topic: Global Climate Change
 Next Generation Science Standards - First national
science standards document to include the topic of
global climate change
 Example performance standard:
Code
Standard
Clarification Statement and Assessment Boundary
MS-ESS3-5
Ask questions
to clarify
evidence of the
factors that
have caused
the rise in
global
temperatures
over the past
century.
Examples of factors include human activities (such as fossil
fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural
activity) and natural processes (such as changes in
incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity). Examples of
evidence can include tables, graphs, and maps of global
and regional temperatures, atmospheric levels of gases
such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the rates of
human activities. Emphasis is on the major role that
human activities play in causing the rise in global
temperatures.
Global Warming’s “Six Americas”
This presentation was designed by the MADE
CLEAR Learning Sciences Research Team at the
University of Maryland, College Park
(www.ClimateEdResearch.org)
This material is based upon work supported by
the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
1043262. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions
or recommendations expressed in this material
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.