Science Literacy through Science Journalism
 

2010 and 2011 SciJourn Teacher Professional Development Program

There is an extensive and ongoing discussion over what constitutes science literacy and how it applies in schools, various other settings and life situations (e.g.; Shamos, 1995, Eisenhart, et al., 1996, Hurd, 1998, DeBoer, 2000, Turner, 2008). Nearly all definitions include aspects aimed at furthering civic, cultural and personal understanding (AAAS, 1989, Trefil, 1996, National Academy of Sciences, 1996, Department of Education). For the purposes of this grant, entitled Science Literacy through Science Journalism, we embrace those ideas as embodied in terms such as “public understanding of science” (Bodmer, 1985); “public engagement with science and technology” (House of Lords, 2000); “scientific awareness” (Shamos, 1995, Devlin, 1998); “science for citizenship” (Fensham, 2004); etc. To whit, our goal is to educate students to

• Think, talk, and write critically about what they read, hear and see in the media;
• Understand what counts as science;
• Recognize the risks and benefits of scientific discoveries and technologies;
• Become engaged about science and technology;
• Develop the confidence and skills to tackle science/technology issues independently;
• “Use” experts to answer questions and solve problems; and
• Understand the nature of science as an ongoing process of exploration with varying opinions or general consensus on theories, different stakeholders and levels of expertise, and norms for claims and evidence.

REFERENCES

• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). (1989) Science for All Americans. Washington, D.C.
• Bodmer, W. (1985) The Public Understanding of Science. Royal Society: London.
• DeBoer, G. E. (2000) Scientific Literacy: Another Look at Its Historical and Contemporary Meanings and Its Relationships to Science Education Reform Journal of Research in Science Teaching 37(6), 582–601.
• Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/glossary/s.asp
• Devlin, K. (1998) Rather than scientific literacy, colleges should teach scientific awareness. American Journal of Physics 66(7), 559–560.
• Esienhart, M., Finkel, E., Marion, S. F. (1996) Creating the Conditions for Scientific Literacy: A Re-Examination. American Educational Research Journal 33(2), 261–295.
• Fensham, P. J. (2004) Increasing the Relevance of Science and Technology Education for All Students in the 21st Century Science Education International 15(1), 7–26.
• House of Lords (2000) Science and Society. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office: London.
• Hurd, P. D. (1998) Scientific Literacy: New Minds for a Changing World. Science Education 82(3), 407–416.
• National Academy of Sciences. (1996) National Science Education Standards. National Academy Press: Washington, D.C.
  
• Shamos, M. (1995) The Myth of Scientific Literacy. Rutgers University Press: New Brunswick, N.J.
• Trefil, J. (1996) Scientific Literacy Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 775, 543–550.
• Turner, S. (2008) School Science and Its Controversies: or Whatever Happened to Science Literacy? Public Understanding of Science 17, 55–72

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-0822354.