IBSE Final

96 NaTIoNal SCIENCE TEaChERS aSSoCIaTIoN

Chapter 5 Science Teaching and assessing Students’ Scientific literacy

is scientifically literate or scientifically illiterate. A more productive definition

recognizes that scientific literacy develops over a lifetime and that a majority of

individuals can be described positively as demonstrating some degree of scien-

tific literacy.

The framework also accommodates the fact that a person may, at any time,

be compared to the population as a whole and may demonstrate several levels

of literacy at once depending on the historical context, social issue, and science

discipline. Likewise, subgroups of similar individuals, whether scientists or

middle school students, may be located at different points on the scientific

literacy continuum.

Scientific literacy is a continuum in which an individual develops greater

and more sophisticated understanding of science. This framework also func-

tions as a taxonomy for current programs and practices and as a guide for future

curriculum development and instructional approaches.

Nominal Scientific Literacy

In nominal literacy, the individual associates names with a general area of science

and technology. However, the association may represent a misconception, naïve

theory, or everyday explanation. Using the basic definition of nominal, the rela-

tionship between science terms and acceptable definitions is small and insig-

nificant. At best, students demonstrate only a token understanding of science

concepts, one that bears little or no relationship to real understanding.

Functional Scientific Literacy

Individuals demonstrating a functional level of literacy respond adequately and

appropriately to vocabulary associated with science and technology. They meet

minimum standards of literacy as it is usually understood; that is, they can read

and write passages with simple scientific and technological vocabulary. Indi-

viduals may also associate vocabulary with larger conceptual schemes—for

example, that genetics is associated with variation within a species and variation

is associated with evolution—but only have a token or marginal understanding

of the associations.

Conceptual and Procedural Scientific Literacy

Conceptual and procedural literacy occurs when individuals demonstrate an

understanding of both the parts and the whole of science as a discipline. The

individual can identify the way the parts form a whole vis-à-vis major concep-

tual schemes and the way new explanations and inventions develop vis-à-vis

the processes of science and technology. At this level, individuals understand

the conceptual structure of disciplines and the methodological procedures for

developing new knowledge.