Scientific education in the perspective of literacy as social practice: Functions, principles and challenges

Abstract

Starting from sociological and philosophical visions of science, this article expounds how conceptions on the role of scientific education have been discussed historically. This is followed by a literature review on the leaching of science concerning meanings of scientific education which can be understood as differentiated processes of literacy and scientific literacy. Then it discusses how it is possible to understand the process of scientific literacy as a social practice, in contraposition to the elementary process of scientific literacy which has been developed in current science teachihg. After presenting contributions of the science-technology-society movement and discussing curricular questions related to the nature and language of science and to socio-scientific aspects, principles of scientific education directed at the formation of citizenship are raised. Finally, challenges for the recovery of the social function of science teaching which have been seen by some as an unreachable myth, are broached.