Scientific literacy has become something of a catch cry in science education circles worldwide. The nature of scientific literacy and how scientific literacy is developed and enacted in classrooms is explored in this special issue. An overview of the papers presented in this special issue suggests that many authors struggle to clearly define scientific literacy, and that its use in science education is muddled. We argue here that educators and curriculum developers first need to contextualize the notion of scientific literacy in their own particular educational setting before considering how it might advance science education.

Since the first use of ‘scientific literacy’ in the late 1950s, numerous science educators and policy makers have reconceptualised the term to such an extent that it has been described as being ‘ill-defined and diffuse’. Despite this lack of clarity, the term is the focus of curriculum standards in many countries and is at the heart of international comparisons of student attainment including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. Uncritical use of the term masks the existence of deep-seated philosophical clashes that hinder reform of science education in many countries throughout the world.
 

Despite the best intentions of the United States educational system, implementing science reform efforts equitably and consistently throughout the nation is still a long-term goal. The light of scientific literacy has yet to shine brightly in many rural, isolated and economically depressed regions. Using Appalachia as a case in point, this paper provides a synopsis of the challenges of quality rural science education in the United States and the hope of new contextual and culturally relevant pedagogies aimed at engaging science students in inquiry research using their environmental surroundings as cognitive scaffoldings. The program Reading the River is showcased as an exemplary use of the students’ ‘backyard’ to integrate content knowledge in biology, chemistry, geology, physical science, social studies, practical living and mathematics.

This paper revisits the discussion about the objectives of scientific literacy-oriented chemistry teaching, its connection to the German concept of Allgemeinbildung, and the debate of science through education vs. education through science. About 10 years ago the sociocritical and problem-oriented approach to chemistry teaching was suggested using these starting points. In this paper its central assumptions and criteria for structuring lesson plans are presented as they have been refined along a series of lesson plans developed by participatory action research in recent years. The summarized teaching approach intends to more thoroughly promote reflection on scientific questions in the framework of their socioeconomical and ecological consequences. This is done by inserting authentic and controversial debates on socioscientific issues into chemistry teaching, which provoke and allow for open discussions and individual decision making processes. After discussing the framework, we present one example which deals with musk fragrances used in cosmetic products, and we give an overview of different respective issues. From experience gained in applying the different examples, the potential of this teaching approach is then reflected upon as a source for promoting the process-oriented skills of evaluation and communication as essential parts of a welldeveloped scientific literacy.

Scientific literacy is a major educational and political goal worldwide, yet the development and enhancement of scientific literacy is not well understood. In order to better understand scientific literacy at the level of everyday science meaning making and a person’s ability to address scientific questions and issues, this study reports on findings from semi-structured interviews of seven German and five American secondary students. This paper reports on these students’ conceptions of their science interactions in everyday life. By conducting the same interviews in the native languages of students representing two countries known for their emphasis on improving secondary science education’s scientific literacy enhancement, this research aims to learn from a cultural and contextual spectrum of science experiences. Our findings include two distinct themes independent of the educational setting. In addition, the research finds the recurrent and prevalent theme of German students’ practicing science in nature not mentioned by American students.

This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers’ and students’ scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional development activities are described. Data are provided on teachers’ fidelity of implementation of the CISIP instructional strategies, their understanding of the nature of science communication, and their ability to write scientific investigation reports. Student data includes an analysis of scientific arguments and the perception of their classroom as a science classroom discourse community. Two instruments to measure fidelity of implementation are introduced; the Discourse in Inquiry Science Classrooms for classroom observations of teachers and My Science Classroom Survey to measure students’ perceptions of their teachers’ use of the CISIP instructional strategies in their classroom.

This paper sets out to provide an overview of scientific literacy specifically related to whether emphasis is placed on the ‘science’ or the ‘literacy’ aspect, accepting that literacy, wherever used, is wider than simply reading and writing. It does this from a general rather than a country perspective. The emphasis in giving meaning to scientific literacy is placed on the literacy component in recognition of the trend towards relating scientific literacy to skills and values appropriate for a responsible citizen. Rejected is a consideration that scientific literacy is related to an emphasis on the acquisition of content and this is especially considered, noting the social bias and cultural embedding of science. The emphasis on enhancing scientific literacy is placed on an appreciation of the nature of science, the development of personal attributes and the acquisition of socioscientific skills and values. Furthermore, in teaching towards this view of scientific literacy, a key component is seen as relevance and a model of relevance for science teaching is put forward based on relevance being seen from two perspectives. Relevance from both perspectives is very much geared to the view that scientific literacy is best taught by seeing science education as ‘education through science’ as opposed to ‘science through education.’
 

In the United States and around the world, calls for educational reform stress the need for a scientifically literate population, prepared for the twenty-first century workforce. These calls have translated into new curricula, which in isolation, are not enough? Teachers play an essential role in the development of scientifically literate citizens. Their purposes for teaching science act as filters for acceptable learning and teaching activities. This paper examines the congruence of eight private school teachers’ purposes for teaching science, and aspects of scientific literacy in the Middle Eastern country of Lebanon. Findings are discussed in light of contextual factors that inform the operationalization of scientific literacy in practice.

The late 20th century and beginning of 21st century have witnessed unprecedented rapid economic development due to advances in technology and globalization. In response to this development, a renewed call for science literacy has become louder in the USA and many other countries. Common to all science education reforms around the world is emphasis on achieving science literacy by all children before high school graduation. This paper first reviews definitions of science literacy in the literature; it then examines the status of science literacy in the USA and other countries. Following the above, this paper then presents a new notion of science literacy as life-long participation in science – science and the public. This new notion expands science literacy to recognize it as both extrinsic and intrinsic, and as a state and a life-long process, which expands science literacy from school science to ongoing participation in science activities in society by citizens of all ages. This paper finally discusses two necessary approaches to achieving the expanded science literacy that include bridging formal and informal science education, and training science and the public educators through graduate programs on science and the public.  

 The focus of this paper is on selected recent South African research studies that have explored efforts to promote the discussion, writing, and arguing aspects of scientific literacy in primary and middle schools, particularly amongst second-language learners. These studies reveal improvements in the participants’ abilities to both use the ‘science notebooks’ approach and argue their findings, as well as statistically significant improvement in their problem solving skills. The positive findings of these studies, and the call for attention to be paid to the fundamental sense of scientific literacy by a number of international researchers, resulted in the development of an integrated learning strategies approach. This approach not only specifically includes classroom discussion, argumentation and writing strategies to learn science, but also provides teachers with ideas and techniques to stimulate their learners to develop their own investigable questions, plan and execute a successful investigation in the classroom, and present their findings to an authentic audience. Findings on the effect of the strategy on learners’ general literacy skills, both in their home language and the language of learning and teaching in their schools, are reported.

Education and political leaders worldwide are increasingly placing emphasis on developing scientific literacy. This also is the case in Thailand with science education influenced by educational reform in 1999, in which the goals of science education are shaped by the notion of scientific literacy. Thai science education emphasizes the scientific knowledge, the nature of science, and the relationship between science technology and society. Although the school science curriculum features scientific literacy, Thai science education research, articles, national tests, and teaching and learning emphasize scientific achievement with little concern about science as a way of knowing. However, some attempts at developing scientific literacy have been made recently. Some school science curricula and teaching and learning has tried to organize science learning emphasizing the relationship between science, technology and society based on the Thai context. Such cases seek to develop students’ scientific literacy through local wisdom; specifically, King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s philosophy of sufficiency economy, moral infusion, and the Buddhism way of life. This paper considers interpretations of the term scientific literacy in Thailand, and examines the implications of this for science education.