Science Literacy for Citizenship: Bridging the Gap. A Delphi Study of Arab and Lebanese Experts

Year 2018, Volume: 11 , 43 - 62, 01.12.2018

Suzanne El Takach Zalpha Ayoubı

Abstract

The purpose of the present two-stage Delphi study is to
examine how Arab and Lebanese Educators view the relationship of the Science
Literacy and Citizenship concepts. It is known that students’ 21^st
century science skills needed are used for being an active and responsible
citizen. Many of the academics involved in the research were the Arab and
Lebanese Experts who participated in the three-day conference about citizenship
in 2014, organized by the Faculty of Education, Lebanese University. A first round survey was carried out, and a questionnaire
on Citizenship and Science Literacy was administered via e-mail and returned by
28 experts in Education to Science Education at the Faculties of Education at
Arab universities. Experts’ responses were coded and categorized according to:
students’ citizenship skills, students’ scientific literacy skills, educational
challenges in terms of schools and society, curriculum development, teacher
preparation, and the values of a good, digital and global citizen. In the
second round survey, experts were again asked to comment on the depicted
themes. Experts’
opinions complemented each other and there were no controversies. All stressed
on the diversity and the respect of the other. They all concurred that in order
to live in an open society where all are respected one needs to discard and
reject any type of discrimination and fanaticism. This
research would contribute in: a) making a repertoire of citizenship skills by
Arab and Lebanese experts, b) improving the quality of the science courses that
tackle the concepts of science literacy and citizenship education at the
Faculty of Education, and c) upgrading the in-service training programs that
nurture the same concepts.  

Keywords

Citizenship education, Science literacy, Delphi study, Active citizen, Global citizen

References

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