Improving University Students’ Science-Technology-Society-Environment Competencies

Abstract

Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) is an education movement that started and developed from 70s through early 2000s. Although this movement had lost emphasis in recent years, it is one of the most important educational reform attempts in science education history. Today, concepts like Socio Scientific Issues (SSI) or Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education are more prevalent. STSE reform aims making science more relevant for students while helping them attain scientific literacy. If applied well, this approach is very powerful in achieving this aim. This study explores the effect of an elective course on students’ competencies in STSE education. Turned in assignments and presentations of 22 participants were the source of data, which was analyzed through content analysis. Results show that students were able to achieve high competency in certain areas of STSE education, while having difficulties in others. This study may have implications for university level STSE courses

Keywords

• Science-technology-society-environment competencies, scientific literacy, teacher competences