Exploring the Landscape of Scientific Literacy

Scientific literacy is part of national science education curricula worldwide. In this volume, an international group of distinguished scholars offer new ways to look at the key ideas and practices associated with promoting scientific literacy in schools and higher education. The goal is to open up the debate on scientific literacy, particularly around the tension between theoretical and practical issues related to teaching and learning science. Uniquely drawing together and examining a rich, diverse set of approaches and policy and practice exemplars, the book takes a pragmatic and inclusive perspective on curriculum reform and learning, and presents a future vision for science education research and practice by articulating a more expansive notion of scientific literacy.

Cedric Linder is Professor of Physics Education Research, Uppsala University, Sweden, and Professor of Physics, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Leif Östman is Professor in Curriculum Studies and Director of the Institute for Research in Education and Sustainable Development, Uppsala University, Sweden. Douglas A. Roberts is Professor Emeritus of Education, University of Calgary, Canada. Per-Olof Wickman is Professor and Director of Science Education, Stockholm University, Sweden. Gaalen Erickson is Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada. Allan MacKinnon is Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, Canada.

1. Overview: Scientific Literacy and the State of the Art in School Science Education Part I: Curriculum Policy and Scientific Literacy Introduction 2. Competing Visions of Scientific Literacy: Influence of a Science Curriculum Policy Image 3. Scientific Literacy for a Knowledge Society 4. Scientific Literacy: Content and Curriculum Making Part II: Exploring Language Perspectives Introduction 5. Scientific Literacy, Discourse, and Epistemic Practices 6. Scientific Literacy and Students' Movability in Science Texts 7. Literacy as Metaphor and Perspective in Science Education 8. Bilingual Scientific LiteracyPart III: Exploring Themes of Scientific Literacy Introduction 9. The Development of Scientific Literacy 10. Scientific Literacy as Action 11. What Do Values and Norms Have to Do with Scientific Literacy? 12. An Inclusive View of Scientific Literacy 13. Scientific Literacy for Bringing in the Outsiders Part IV: Science Teachers' Professional Development 14. In the Path of Linnaeus 15. The Vietnam Consortium Fellowship Program 16. Making an Innovation Grow 17. Professional Development of Teachers and Researchers in a Collaborative Development of Teaching Resources18. Struggling Up Mount Improbable