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Teaching Practices for Enactment of Socio-scientific Issues Instruction: an Instrumental Case Study of an Experienced Biology Teacher

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Abstract

The identification of high-leverage teaching practices that can be improved through targeted practice should contribute to the enhancement of teachers’ facilitation of instruction and improve student learning outcomes. Researchers have begun to identify subject-specific teaching practices that are expected to enhance science teaching specifically. However, it is not clear what teaching practices look like in classrooms engaging students in learning science through socio-scientific issues. In this instrumental case study, we set out to identify those practices that an experienced secondary biology teacher employed during her successful enactment of socio-scientific issues (SSI) instruction about antibiotic resistance. Using both deductive codes from the literature and inductive coding, we analyzed nine 90-min video-taped lessons that comprised the unit. We identified science teaching practices that were particularly important for her enactment, as well as SSI-specific teaching practices not previously identified in the teaching practices literature, which included contextualizing teaching and learning in the issue, challenging students to analyze the issue from multiple perspectives, and urging students to employ skepticism when analyzing potentially biased information regarding the issue. These findings suggest that the manner in which teachers are currently being prepared is likely lacking in terms of helping teachers develop a full suite of teaching practices that contribute to the successful enactment of SSI instruction. Further research directed at how ideal SSI instruction is achieved and identifying those practices that are requisite to doing so is recommended.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education, Georgia Southern University, 11935 Abercorn St., Savannah, GA, 31419, USA

    David C. Owens

  2. School of Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1300 Spring Garden St., Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA

    Troy D. Sadler

  3. Department of Learning, Teaching, & Curriculum, University of Missouri, 303 Townsend Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Patricia Friedrichsen

Authors
  1. David C. Owens
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  2. Troy D. Sadler
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  3. Patricia Friedrichsen
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Correspondence to David C. Owens.

Appendix. Know your sources of information

Appendix. Know your sources of information

Consider your sources as you collect information regarding any difficult issues, especially issues that involve science.

With modern technologies, it is possible to find information on virtually any topic, but the quality and usefulness of the information to which you have access will vary. It is critical that you pay attention to where information is coming from, who is behind the information (their credibility, expertise, biases, etc.), and what you can and/or should do with that information. There is no single method for documenting the credibility and reliability of information and information sources, but here are some suggested questions to explore in your analysis of any information source. Keep in mind that not all of these questions will be pertinent for all information sources.

  1. 1.

    Who is (or what organization or company) presenting the information?

  2. 2.

    What is the purpose of the publication?

  3. 3.

    What expertise and/or relevant experience does the author (or organization or company) have?

  4. 4.

    What biases does the author (or organization or company) have and how might those biases affect the presentation of information?

  5. 5.

    Does the information presented seem to be accurately reported? Are the claims made in the presentation supported? Do any facts or analyses seem to be distorted?

  6. 6.

    Does the presentation leave important information out? Does the presentation offer information that is unnecessary (particularly if the extra information distorts the message)?

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Owens, D.C., Sadler, T.D. & Friedrichsen, P. Teaching Practices for Enactment of Socio-scientific Issues Instruction: an Instrumental Case Study of an Experienced Biology Teacher. Res Sci Educ 51, 375–398 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-018-9799-3

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