The central premise of STS teaching is to help students develop the knowledge, skills and effective qualities in order to take responsible citizenship action on science and technologically oriented issues. According to a number of science educators, much can be learned about how to develop successful STS lessons, modules and courses by examining a closely related movement, the environmental education (EE) movement.
Environmental educators, motivated by the first Earthday celebration in April, 1970, recognized the need for educational programs that would develop an awareness and appreciation for the environment. Furthermore, these educators, who represented a large and growing number of scientists, teachers, and ordinary citizens around the world, were concerned about the serious deterioration of the atmosphere, water resources, biosphere, and other Earth systems. Environmental educators began to focus on teaching materials that enabled students to explore the local environment, and develop skills and abilities that would enable them to do so. In general environmental education (EE) involved the following characteristics:
• EE programs are typically oriented towards a problem• EE focuses on realistic situations
• EE helps students develop alternatives that exist for situations and the skill of choosing between them.
• EE empowers students to take action on issues and problems.
• EE uses the real environment of the school and its surroundings as a context.
• EE involves the clarification of values.
• EE aspires to increase the ability of students to improve their own environmental situation.
Environmental education programs such as Project Learning Tree and Project Wild were developed in the 1970s. They are examples of curriculum projects that are used in the schools today, and serve as a model for EE in the classroom.
STS programs parallel the goals of EE programs, and indeed are often difficult to differentiate. STS was given impetus for inclusion in science education curricula through the efforts of Project Synthesis. Project Synthesis outlined the following as characteristics of STS programs:
• STS programs should prepare students to utilize science for improving their own lives and coping with an increasingly technological world.• STS programs should prepare students to utilize science to deal responsibly with science and technology oriented issues.
• STS programs should identify fundamental knowledge in science and technology so that students can deal with STS issues.
• STS programs should provide the student the appropriate expertise/experience to make decisions and take advantage of career options in science and technology.
STS and EE programs are oriented in the same direction, and place a great deal of emphasis on problem solving, empowering students to take action, the application of science knowledge to real issues and problems, and an awareness of careers.
For purposes of discussion in this chapter, and the remainder of the book, I am going to let the concept of STS subsume EE programs, and when I speak or make reference to STS, it is understood that EE is included as well. Whether it is an STS or an EE program, there are at least five elements that characterize these programs: problem oriented, interdisciplinary, relating science to society, global awareness, and relevance.