Non–Science Major Undergraduate Students' Ideas on Socioscientific Issues Through Writing

• In Event: 18.073 - Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: 18.073-5 - Division J Section 1 Poster Session

Abstract

This study examined undergraduate students’ understanding of Socio-Scientific Issues which was enacted in a heavy writing based language course at a southeastern university in the U.S. After being exposed to SSI through various class activities, students chose their own topic to write an essay. The SSI writing gave students opportunity to recognize the significance of science-technology in daily life. Meanwhile, the students experienced the difficulties in writing on SSI due to the accessibility toward scientific data, unfamiliarity of scientific terms and jargons. Some of the students perceived that the SSI writing requires more specific science-oriented literacy, also, even thought that SSI writing are less relevant with ethics. Implications about SSI writing in the context of cross-curricular connections will be discussed.

Authors

• Changhwan Kim, University of Georgia

• Young Ae Kim, University of Georgia - Athens

• Deborah J. Tippins, University of Georgia