Abstract
Addressing issues concerning relationships among fields of Science and Technology and Societies and Environments (STSE issues) is one context through which researchers recognize links between science education and citizenship education (Pedretti & Nazir, ci Edu 95(4): 601–626, 2011). Yet, amidst gaps between science education and democratic participation (Levinson, Stud Sci Edu 46(1): 69–119, 2010), scholars and educators have been advocating for reworking classroom practices to nurture more critical and activist dispositions among students on STSE issues (Santos, Sci Edu 93(2): 361–382, 2009). To assist students to participate in knowledge production and decision-making on STSE issues, science teachers need to be equally supported to teach for such a participatory form of citizenship. In this chapter, we explore extents to which a teacher training course structured around the ‘STEPWISE’ curriculum and pedagogical framework might have supported pre-service teachers to teach for socio-political activism on STSE issues. We specifically analyzed student-teachers’ views about STSE and nature of science (NOS). We also inquired about participants’ views and positions regarding roles of school science in preparing critical and active citizens on STSE issues. Finally, we examined extents to which the course might have influenced pre-service teachers’ pedagogical dispositions (in terms of confidence, motivation and expertise) to incorporate socio-political activism in their future practice. Participants’ educational background and research experience were found to influence their relative dispositions to teach for socio-political activism, as well as their views about STSE and NOS. Implications for similar teacher training courses are finally discussed.
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El Halwany, S., Zouda, M., Pouliot, C., Bencze, L. (2017). Supporting Pre-service Teachers to Teach for Citizenship in the Context of STSE Issues. In: Bencze, L. (eds) Science and Technology Education Promoting Wellbeing for Individuals, Societies and Environments. Cultural Studies of Science Education, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55505-8_18
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