IBSE Final

100 NaTIoNal SCIENCE TEaChERS aSSoCIaTIoN

Chapter 5 Science Teaching and assessing Students’ Scientific literacy

Although this discussion and the framework in Figure 5.1 emphasize assess-

ment, science teachers can make connections to science programs including

curriculum materials and classroom instruction.

In the foreseeable future, citizens will have to address numerous challenges

that are clearly related to science and technology. Citizens confront these and

other challenges from perspectives that are personal, social, and global. The PISA

2006 Science survey used the contexts displayed in Table 5.1 for the assessment.

Table 5.1

Contexts for the PISA 2006 Science Assessments

Personal

(Self, Family, and

Peer Groups)

Social

(the Community)

Global

(Life Across the

World)

Health Maintenance of

health, accidents,

nutrition

Control of disease,

social transmission,

food choices,

community health

Epidemics, spread of

infectious diseases

Natural

Resources

Personal

consumption of

materials and energy

Maintenance of

human populations,

quality of life, security,

production and

distribution of food,

energy supply

Renewable and

nonrenewable,

natural systems,

population growth,

sustainable use of

species

Environment Environmentally

friendly behavior,

use and disposal of

materials

Population

distribution,

disposal of waste,

environmental impact,

local weather

Biodiversity,

ecological

sustainability,

control of pollution,

production and loss

of soil

Hazards Natural and human-

induced hazards,

decisions about

housing

Rapid changes

(earthquakes, severe

weather), slow and

progressive changes

(coastal erosion,

sedimentation), risk

assessment

Climate change,

effect of modern

warfare

Frontiers of

Science and

technology

Interest in science’s

explanations of

natural phenomena,

science-based

hobbies, sport and

leisure, music, and

personal technology

New materials,

devices and

processes, genetic

modification,

weapons technology,

transport

Extinction of species,

exploration of space,

origin and structure

of the universe

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2006. Assessing

scientific, reading, and mathematical literacy: A framework for PISA 2006. Paris: OECD.

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