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Encyclopedia of Science Education pp 1–6Cite as

Socioscientific Issues

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Synonyms

Learning; Pedagogy; Research; Scientific literacy; Teaching

Socioscientific issues (SSI) are a conceptual framework used to guide theory, research, and practice in science education with the ultimate aim of fostering scientific literacy. The framework draws on empirical research and scholarship mainly from psychology (developmental learning theory including moral reasoning and cognitive reasoning, character development), sociology (individual and group identity, community, formation of social norms), philosophy (metaethics, normative ethics, virtue ethics), and critical areas of science education that are conducive to the enactment of SSI in curriculum planning and pedagogy. In short, the SSI movement provides a conceptual framework that unifies multiperspectival epistemological orientations of students and considers the role of emotions and character as key components of science education. Used in their ideal form, SSI contain the following main characteristics:

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References

  • Sadler TD, Zeidler DL (2004) The significance of content knowledge for informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues: Applying Genetics knowledge to genetic engineering issues. Sci Educ 89(1):71–93

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Ave., EDU105, Tampa, FL, 33620-5650, USA

    Dana Zeidler

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  1. Dana Zeidler
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Correspondence to Dana Zeidler .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University Fac. Education, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Richard Gunstone

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© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Zeidler, D. (2014). Socioscientific Issues. In: Gunstone, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Science Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6165-0_314-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6165-0_314-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6165-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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