Bringing Futures Thinking to Science Education: Upper Secondary Students' Sense of Future and Agency

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: Climate Change and Future Thinking

Abstract

Students have difficulties in projecting themselves in the future as active individuals, citizens and professionals. K-12 science education can address this global issue by adapting perspectives from futures studies. We report on a teaching-learning module on quantum computers aiming to equip and empower upper secondary students to face the uncertainty and contribute meaningfully to their own and global futures. Thematic and discourse analyses were carried out on students’ essays, interviews and group work outcomes. The results showed that students adopted new ways of thinking, reached more active take on the future, and were able to imagine solutions to global problems. The findings affirm earlier claims to ‘futurize’ science education and inform further development of pedagogies to that end.

Authors

• Antti Laherto, University of Helsinki

• Tuija Hyvättinen, University of Helsinki

• Paula Pekkala, University of Helsinki

• Tapio Rasa, University of Helsinki

• Olivia Levrini, University of Bologna