2.2 objectives
I. To know
various type of STS approaches.
II. To
determine the importance of STS approaching.
III. To
understand the interactions and connections between STS elements.
2.3 Introduction
Science,
technology and society related to each other in different ways, as science and
technology developed altogether, they give impacts on society in terms of
cultural or moral values. For examples, science and technology contribute to
the inventions of nuclear weapons which lead to wars and thus, affect the moral
values of humanity. However, in other
positive side, the inventions could help some country to become strong and
enable to defend themselves from enemy. All of these showed that science,
technology and society shared strong connections, as well as their approaches.
The negatives and positives affects arrived from the personal judgment that
influenced either by their own personal purpose or by society purpose. As long
as science and technology exist, the society issues will be always debated
among the human all over the world.
Before
understanding the importance of science, technology and society approaches, it is
necessary to know that science and technology are closely associated
with human lives. They are closely linked aspects of society and the studies
and developments in both of science and technology are essential for the
overall progress of society. For student, this approach will provide real world
connection for student between the classroom and society. The process should
gives the student practices in identifying potential problems, collecting data
that regarding to the problems, finding alternative solutions, and considering
the consequences based on particular decisions.
Science, technology and
society approaches is nothing similar like textbook driven science courses and
disciplined centered. It is important for student to know not only about the
content and process of science, but also the impact of science and society to
one another. Student expertise not just at solving the exercises, but also can
asking questions, developing hypothesis, drawing conclusions based on their
interpreted results. By mastering all of those characteristics, student
generally can be considered as experts in the Science, Technology, and Society
approaches.
2.4 STS approaches
2.4.1 Historical approaches
In
historical approaches of STS, the science had become alive and colorful. There
are various historical approaches like daring field studies, serendipitous
discoveries, creative collaborations, cutthroat competitions, political
pressure and long lasting feuds. Science was much more personal and socially
embedded than teacher had ever realized. Teacher had discovered a world that would
intrigue their students.
Students
researched the lives of the scientist like Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking or
the scientist from the hundreds ago like Ptolemy and Aristotle. By doing the
research, student might know what they had invented for science and technology.
This might encourage them to be like the scientist and create the new
historical day in the science and technology. Teacher also can asked them to do
drama or role-play about the glorious scientist in class which make them learn
how importance the scientist contributions to the Science and Technology.
Apart
from that, historical approaches can be seen through the worst historical
events that had occurred due to the science and technology inventions. For
example, the explosion of Chernobyl nuclear plant had in 1980 century had bring
big effects in science and technology where it had caused serious issues
debating the nuclear plant using for energy sources. Apart from that, recent
events like cloning had causes arguments in ethics and society where cloning
claimed to be an immoral actions. Teacher can asked the students to search
about the historical events in legal sources, like certain approved websites
and books and give their own opinion about it and related the science and
technology with society.
Having
students studying and remembering all of these historic events can help them
approaches the STS efficiently since they can feel it is alive and thus,
develop their own opinion on the STS and related it with their daily life as
well. The historical approaches can be efficient as long as the facts about the
history are true and not being bombarded with myth or lies. In order to do this
approach smoothly, teacher must be the first person that understanding the
scientific history completely before guiding the students to uses the same
approach.
This
is relevant since students will regard to teachers for some information that
they unable to obtain from other sources and thus, when it comes to historical
facts, any information from teacher will be accept as true facts by the
students. This will give to errors and misunderstanding in learning the
approach and in addition, history cannot be told with lies or otherwise, it
would not be valuable anymore and become fake or myth.
2.4.2 Philosophy approach
One
of the important components of STS education is the inclusions of nature of
science perspectives. a nature of science emphasis provides scope and breadth
for exploring science in its wider social- cultural contexts and asked
questions related to what science is, how knowledge is generated, how science
works, how scientist operate as a social group and how society itself both
directs and reacts to scientific endeavors.
Philosophy
approaches must includes all the scientific branches like Biology, Physics,
Chemistry and Mathematics. A philosopher must be an expertise in all of these
subjects and for that reasons, students at least mastering the basics of all
branches in order to go through the Philosophy approach. Philosophy is more
complicated than historical approaches since it about the ‘philosopher words’
which what they believe from the science and their study is to discover the
truth, not to gain attention from the public or popularity. Philosophy also
includes moral values like hardworking, self confidence, never give up easily
in what they looking for in their study.
True
philosopher will always defend the truth and never twisted the facts in their
discovery. Galileo is a philosopher who defends his words to the church of
Europe, arguing about the false facts of sun encircling the earth. He said that
earth the one that encircling the sun and claimed that he discovered it trough
his works on astronomy. His stubbornness had brought him to death sentences and
yet, he never changes his mind. Later his knowledge is generated and accepted
by people all over the world, defeating lies created by people who believed
myth. From this incident, philosopher approach is relevant as long as he
students know what the purpose of learning science is and what is the
association the discovery of the truth fact with the life of human being. They
also need to learn about other philosophers’ history to make them more
understandable.
Teacher
can guide the students through this approach by asking them about the scientific
philosophy, like philosophy of a doctor when he want to treat his patient where
the philosophy will become his words on his service and thus, he will never
broke the promise or he will lost his credibility as a good doctor, when giving
them the philosophy, they have to work in group and elaborate well about the
moral values obtained from the scientific philosophy. From this activities, the
student can observe how the simple philosophy can affect the society in terms
of culture, ethics and moral values of
human life and in addition, what are the positive values that lies inside a
philosopher who had generated worldwide knowledge in science and technology
which never been proved wrong and relevant to any centuries of life.
2.4.3 Issues based approach
Another
possible way achieving the challenging goals proffered by STS educations
advocates is through the explorations of socio scientific issues (Pedretti et al). in issues –based learning,
social issues, such as waste management, reproductive technologies (cloning)
and so on, become central organizers for science curriculum and instructions.
Through
issues and events, students investigate the interface between science and
society, as they research multiple perspectives; engage in decision making, and
possibly by actions. Student will also learn the impact, either positive or
negative impact given by the certain issues on the society. Since student are
provided with many information resources like computer, newspaper, books and
etc, looking for scientific issues would never be a problem to them
Most
issues derived from science and technology. Pollutions, crimes, moral behavior
problems and even the political issues also derived from development of science
and technology. For this reason, the issues-based approach is the most reliable
approach of Science, Technology and Society approach.
By
giving a simple issue like pollutions, student can connect the dots between
science and society where they will discover how science and technology
contribute to the pollutions and how this issues rise concern among the
society. If students stated that science and technology is the main reason that
caused the pollutions, what are the alternate ways of solving the problems?
Student had to look to the solutions with their own ideas and others as well.
They might as well searching the information from internet or do some research
about it in group
Any
scientific issues sure do have its solutions. With that solutions, it can solve
the issues in a proper ways which significant to prevent further contradictions
and apart from that, it will allow students to understand more about Science,
technology and society by concerning with recent and past issues, especially in
our beloved country.
2.5 The
importance of approaching STS
STS
is stress on individual involvement personally in science. Students should be
the active participants in scientific experiences with good values like honest,
hardworking and sociable with others in the scientific experiences. They should
always put their interested in sciences and make it as part of them.
STS
essentials on providing our generations learn the skills of identifying and
solving problems. Problems at solving the scientific errors and other
scientific technique can be prevented by STS (Yager et al., 1992). STS also can
be seen in context of human experience, and this would channel student to think
about science as a social activity.
STS
science is about making sense out of life today and for the future.STS science
teaching is student oriented as contrasted with the scientist orientation of
tradition science teaching. Students strive to understand their everyday
experiences.
Students
can establish ownership of their learning by asking the questions. This makes
STS approach differ with textbook science since the method that more to
memorizing, rather than understanding
2.6 interactions between STS method
Science,
technology and society existence depend on each other, forming a balance
system. Without any one of them, there will be no interactions formed among
them and thus, the system will be disrupted.
Technology
is the applications of science and technological practices that takes place
within, and influenced by social contexts and various scientific principles.
For example genetic engineering of GMF (genetically modified food) is the
technology that applies those science practice which influence by the moral and
religion issues of changing the origin creations of god by mixing their
genetics together for profitable purpose.
Societal
aspirations and development affect the goals of science and the products of
technology. In turn, science and technology have impacts on social, economic
and environmental development for sustainability.
In
the STS approach, knowledge in science and technology is to be learned with the
applications of the principles of science and technology and their impact on
society. (Ministry Of Education Malaysia,2006)
In
addition, STS instructions aim to help students makes sense out of their
everyday experiences, and then support students’ natural tendency to integrate
their personal understanding of their social, technological and natural
environment.
2.7 Conclusions
In
conclusion, there are three ways of STS approaches which are historical
approach, philosophical approach and issue-based approach.
Technology
is the applications of science and technological practices that takes place
within, and influenced by social contexts and various scientific principles.
Societal
aspirations and development affect the goals of science and the products of
technology. In turn, science and
technology have impacts on social, economic and environmental development for
sustainability
To
ensure the implements of science and technology in social life is going smooth
as planned and penetrate each level of youth in society; several actions should
be taken to strengthen the process and infrastructure in formal institution.
Teachers
are required to relate and integrate student’s mind from what students learn in
school with their experiences in daily life. The importance of STS approach in
education system is student enable to establish their ownership of their
knowledge and providing skills to identify and solve the problems.
2.8summary
1. STS
is about individual involvement in science by personal, making sense out of
life today and for the future and stress on human experience context.
2. There
are three types of STS approach that are Historical approach, philosophy
approach and issued-based approaches.
3. Historical
approach is stressing on activities such as writing, planning and performances.
4. Philosophy
approach stress on exploring science.
5. Issued
based approach stress on activities such as internets and events.
