Local examples are key to teaching complex socioscientific issues

The results of the systematic review present the teaching objectives, topics, and methods used in 157 studies conducted in the classroom or in authentic learning situations within a school context. Although it is recommended, SSI teaching is not implemented in schools.

The new study, Teaching Socioscientific Issues: A Systematic Review, recently published in Science & Education, provides a comprehensive map of SSI teaching. The aim of the study is to assist researchers, policymakers, teacher educators, school leaders, and teachers for the benefit of aligning science education with real-world problems.

SSIs are controversial and complex issues that have no simple answers, and incorporate aspects of values and ethics in promoting scientific literacy to students. Because of the multifaceted nature of SSI, research has shown that the teaching of SSIs is not easily translated into the practice of science education in schools.

According to the study SSI teaching methods are crucial to fostering well-informed and responsible students.

− Our results indicate the importance of student interaction. This can take the form of socioscientific reasoning, such as group discussion, role play, or debate, says Per Högström, researcher in the project.

SSI teaching often aims to cultivate higher-order thinking skills, such as critical thinking, argumentation, and moral reasoning, to develop students' ability to make informed decisions. The study shows that complex and ill-structured issues should first be identified, and then addressed with higher-order thinking skills.

Two dominant thematic areas were identified – environment and sustainable development, and health and technology. The identified topics show that there seems to be a gap between the theories and research related to SSI, and its implementation in teaching practices. Therefore, SSI teaching topics need to be carefully selected to be aligned with real-world problems that have local affinity.

– It is gratifying that our article has been published in Science & Education. It acknowledges the quality of our work – teachers can be confident that the methods we have collated are research-based, says Christina Månberg, Director of the Swedish Institute for Educational Research.

About the study

The study, conducted by Per Högström, Niklas Gericke, Johan Wallin och Eva Bergman, is based on the institute's systematic review Socioscientific issues (SSI) – a systematic mapping review (Samhällsfrågor med naturvetenskapligt innehåll – en kartläggning av undervisningsmöjligheter)

About us

The Swedish Institute for Educational Research is a government agency with the objective to enable those who work in the Swedish school system to plan, carry out and evaluate teaching, on the basis of research-based methods and procedures. The objective of the Swedish Institute for Educational Research is ultimately to contribute to children’s and pupils’ development and learning.

Links

Socioscientific issues (SSI) – a systematic mapping review: https://www.skolfi.se/other-languages/english/research-summaries/socio-scientific-issues-ssi-a-systematic-mapping-review/

Teaching Socioscientific Issues: A Systematic Review: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11191-024-00542-y

AlphaGalileo press release: https://www.alphagalileo.org/en-gb/Item-Display/ItemId/248891