Scientific Literacy: A Proposal for Science Teacher Education

Abstract

Scientific Literacy (SL) is a term used in many countries to define the purpose of science education. Based on previous research with undergraduate science students [1], an academic discipline in a teacher education program was developed in order to promote prospective teachers’ understanding about Scientific Literacy. The academic discipline content consisted of three approaches: ScienceTechnology-Society (STS), Inquiry, and History and Philosophy of Science (HPS). The research objective was investigated how undergraduate science students (future teachers) understand and reflect about the scientific literacy concept. This proposal was applied in a Brazilian Federal University located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo. Twelve students attended seventeen classes. They studied three different methodological approaches: Science, Technology and Society (STS), History and Philosophy of Science (HPS), and Inquiry. Some aspects of Nature of Science were also discussed. The researcher, a PhD student, elaborated levels of comprehension for each approach in order to analyze the results. The primary results so far indicated that some students were able to establish relationships among these approaches and their comprehension of each approach was dependent on the emphasis of the teacher educator.