Defining Scientific Literacy

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Defining
ScientificLiteracy
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Scientific Literacy

• not easy to define
• Dewey all the way down to...
• current reform movements
• several types
• cultural or nominal (recognition of terms)
• functional (use of scientific/technical terms)
• conceptual/procedural (concepts/processes)
• multidimensional (nature of science, social
  context, differentiates science from other ways
  of knowing)

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Common Elements

• content knowledge
• facts
• vocabulary
• concepts
• skills
• manipulative
• intellectual
• dispositions
• attitudes
• behaviors

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What is worth knowing?

• personal needs
• societal needs
• global needs

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How should one think?

• logically
• independently
• objectively
• skeptically
• critically
• rationally

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Benefits of Scientific Literacy

• develop effective solutions to problems
• foster intelligent respect for nature
• avoid being prey to dogmatists
• assess use of new technologies

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Most Americans arent scientifically literate.

• Only 6.9 of Americans are according to Jon
  Miller - NIU.
• 1990 telephone survey
• (94 have phones).
• 2033 individuals interviewed.

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Familiarity withFacts, Vocabulary Concepts

• O2 comes from plants 85
• plate tectonics 77
• light faster than sound 48

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Familiarity Continued

• earth orbits the sun 48
• humans and dinosaurs
• not concurrent 47
• evolution as a concept 45

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Familiarity Continued

• atom-electron (smaller) 41
• lasers work with light 37
• universe began with
• a Big Bang 32
• (36 got 6 or more correct)

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Scientific literacy surveys...

• Only 6.9 of US populace is scientifically
  literate at the lowest level - recall.
• Studies in 79, 85, 88, 90 show no
  significant changes.

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Current Standings of Scientific Literacy

• Ranking
• Luxemborg (8) Italy
• Great Britain Germany
• Denmark/US (6.9) Ireland
• Netherlands Belgium
• Canada Greece
• France Spain
• E. C. (European Average) Portugal (1)
• Note that South Korea and Japan are not even on
  the list!

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The Outlook

• In the US 40 - 50 year olds are the most
  scientifically literate
• those 60 - 70 have low rate.
• those 20 - 30 have low rate.
• In foreign countries scientific literacy
  decreases with age.
• Implications are profound.

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The Problems

• Science teachers not oriented toward scientific
  literacy emphasize
• answers over questions
• memory over thought
• recitation over argument
• reading over doing

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The Problems

• Teaching practices
• little metacognition going on
• teaching versus learning
• training versus educating
• failure to determine essential content
• teaching topically, not thematically
• focusing on low-order skills
• poor assessment skills/programs
• emphasizing breadth over depth

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The Problems

• Science math voluntary
• most pupils take biology in HS
• 45 take chemistry in HS
• 23 take physics in HS
• 10 take no algebra
• 6 take calculus

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The Problems

• The minorities, girls, and non-college-bound
  students are under-represented
• Personal relativism has become a societal
  problem

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We are all responsible for...

• the current state of affairs
• breadth over depth
• seatwork over activity
• memorization over critical thinking
• recitation over well-reasoned argument
• making necessary changes.

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Help is available...

• NRC -- National Science Education Standards
• AAAS -- Project 2061
• NSTA -- Scope, Sequence, and Coordination
• ISBE -- Illinois Learning Standards

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National ScienceEducation Standards

• Scientific literacy requires knowledge and
  understand-ing of scientific concepts and
  processes ... for personal decision making,
  participating in civic and cultural affairs, and
  economic productivity.

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Project 2061 Science for all Americans

• The scientifically literate person is one who
  is aware that science, mathematics, and
  technology are interdependent human enterprises
  with strengths and limitations

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• understands the key concepts and principles of
  science is familiar with the natural world and
  recognizes both its diversity and unity

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• and uses scientific knowledge and scientific
  ways of thinking for individual and social
  purposes.

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Illinois Learning Standards

• Science is the quest for objective truth. It
  provides a conceptual framework for the
  understanding of natural phenomena and their
  causes and effects.

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• Among the purposes of the study of science is
  the development of students who are
  scientifically knowledgeable, understand that
  modern technological growth is an outcome of the
  scientific enterprise

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• knows the difference between objective fact and
  subjective values, and can apply scientific
  thinking and information in problem solving and
  decision making.