Science education for citizenship

Science and technology play important roles in modern society in general and in relation to social issues with a science dimension in specific. School science might have an important role to play in developing students' ability to make thoughtful decisions is socio-scientific controversies. I take an interest in the debate of the content of a curriculum focusing on science for citizenship and in scrutinising the possible relevance of the democratic argument for scientific literacy for all.

Students dealing with socio-scientific issues

To inform the development of science curricula focusing on thoughtful decision-making we need knowledge of students' ways of dealing with different aspects of socio-scientific issues. My main interest focuses on qualitative studies of students' ways of examining and evaluating the science dimension of controversies and in how they use science in their own argumentation.

ICT in science teaching

ICT provides new opportunities within teaching and learning. My interests here relates to the possibility of using ICT to facilitate collaborative learning in general and in developing students' abilities in performing evidence-based argumentation more specific. I am also interested in students' ways of evaluating information with a science dimension found through the Internet.

Science teacher education

As a science teacher educator I am interested in exploring ways to integrate science education theory and students learning in the science classroom. ICT provides new interesting opportunites here. I also have an interest is developing teaching units supporting students learning of the nature of science and of teaching science for citizenship.

Affilation

Department of Fhysics and Technology , The University of Bergen

Contact

E-mail: kolsto@ift.uib.no
Phone: + 4 -55 58 48 39, Fax: + 47-55 58 94 40
Postal adress: Allégaten 55, N-5007 Bergen, Norway

Visiting adress

Allégaten 55, Bjørn Trumpy's Hall, room 371