Science teachers and students’ perspectives on SSI-based instruction: basis on the development of SSI-based curricular resources

Abstract

Despite the most studies empirically reveal the advantages of teaching Socioscientific Issues (SSIs)  in catering the evolution of scientific knowledge and pedagogy in teaching science concepts better to meet the required competencies and students’ needs to develop appropriate skills and capabilities, the teaching of SSI-based is still obscure and new to the country due to science teachers find it difficult and unable to integrate in their classroom due  to lack of curricular resources, unfamiliarity, infrequent integration, and teaching trust issues which results to learning gap among students; inability to argument and less motivated to learning SSIs. A semi-detailed questionnaire was used to collect information such as teacher-student background knowledge on SSIs and SSI-based pedagogy,perception on the pedagogy and the need to develop SSI-based curricular resources. Interviews were done to selected teachers and students to highlight relevant and significant opinions. Furthermore, results revealed that science teachers and students are not acquainted with SSIs. Most teachers don’t know SSIs and don’t employ SSI-based lessons in their teaching resulting to zero experience among students to SSIs. Nevertheless, both teachers and student respondents asserted that the development of SSI-based curricular resources may  improve teaching and learning processes in science areas which may positively affect to students deeper understanding, science practices and argumentation.