The content of STS lessons, modules and courses of study are derived from students and teachers constructing problems and investigations from real-world issues and concerns. In this section I would like to explore a number of issues and concerns which I will refer to as STS themes. A number of individuals and groups have identified themes that ought to be addressed in STS lessons, modules and courses (Figure 1). Project Synthesis identified eight areas of concern, and admitted that these may not be the "most significant" but they exemplified the kinds of issues that students should explore. At the international conference on "Science and Technology Education and Future Human Needs held at Bangalore, India in 1985, the conference coordinators identified eight issues which they referred to as interdisciplinary topics. They made the point that STS requires that teachers and students work outside the normal boundaries of science. The third list of topics that I have listed is one that was proposed by Rodger Bybee. Bybee referred to these as global problems, and surveyed scientists and engineers to find out how they would rank these global problems. The order that I have listed them in Figure 1 is the ranking reported in Bybee's study.
Project
Synthesis: Areas of Concern Bangalore,
India Conference: Interdisciplinary Topics
Global
Problems proposed by Bybee •
Energy •
Population • Human
Engineering • Environmental
Quality • Utilization
of Natural Resources • National
Defense and Space • Sociology of
Science • Effects of
Technological Development •
Health • Food and
Agriculture • Energy
Resources • Use of Land,
Water and Mineral
Resources •
Environment • Industry and
Technology • Information
Transfer and Technology • Ethics and
Social Responsibility • Population
Growth • War
Technology • World Hunger
and Food Resources • Air Quality
and Atmosphere • Water
Resources • Land
Use • Energy
Shortages • Hazardous
Substances • Human Health
and Disease • Extinction of
Plants and Animals • Mineral
Resources • Nuclear
Reactors
The purpose of this section is to examine some of the potential STS themes, and make suggestions for actions (classroom activities) that you might take with students. The information and ideas proposed can be the seeds for lessons or modules that you might develop as part of your science teacher education program. The following themes (from the Bybee list) will be presented: