Abstract
Misconceptions relating to dialog and science drive a great deal of the conflict relating to science in America; we’ll next explore the topic of teaching about socially, but not scientifically, controversial topics like climate change and evolution, and how traditional teaching methods that ignore the alienating potential of the culture of science are especially unsuccessful when applied to such topics. Ways in which the culture of science causes conflict, including exclusive language, failing to address identity issues, and insufficient attention to underlying concepts, are addressed. The ways language and misconceptions impact the teaching of controversial topics are addressed, and methods by which these topics can be more effectively addressed in the classroom are presented.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Pobiner, B. (2016) Accepting, understanding, teaching, and learning (human) evolution: obstacles and opportunities. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 159: S232–S274.
- 2.
Schurko, A., Neiman, M., & Logsdon, J. (2009) Signs of sex: what we know and how we know it. Trends in Ecology 24(4): 208–217.
- 3.
Keep, S. Personal communication, NCSE staff. 1/10/2018.
- 4.
Gelman, S. (2004) Psychological essentialism in children. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 8(9): 2004, 404–409.
- 5.
Rocklov, J. (2016) Misconceptions of global catastrophe. Nature 532: 317–318.
- 6.
Oversby, J. (2015) Teachers’ learning about climate change education. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 167: 23–27.
- 7.
Hamza, K., & Wickman, P. (2007) Describing and analyzing learning in action: an empirical study of the importance of misconceptions in science learning. Science Education. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20233
- 8.
Settlage, J. (2007) Prognosis for science misconceptions research. Journal of Science Teacher Education 18(6): 975–800.
- 9.
Jasanoff, S. (2010) A new climate for society. Theory, Culture, and Society 27(2–3): 233–253.
- 10.
Walsh, J. (1904) Audubon, the naturalist. American Catholic Historical Society 15(1): 8–21.
- 11.
National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Gulf Research Program. (2018) http://www.nas.edu/gulf/grants/education-2018/index.htm?_ga=2.122715915.1897361745.1515019309-1835389935.1513714083. Accessed 1/23/2018.
- 12.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grant Impact Page. (2018) http://www.noaa.gov/office-education/elp/impacts. Accessed 1/23/2018.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schoerning, E. (2018). Culture and Conflict: Science and Social Controversy. In: Science Culture, Language, and Education in America. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95813-9_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95813-9_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-95812-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-95813-9
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)