Unifying STS education

‘Valid’ science is taught as if it were unconnected with the world about it. In reality, it is linked in many ways to society, especially through its technological applications. The basic need in science education is to teach about Science, Technology, and Society, and the various ways in which they interact with one another. At this stage in the discussion let us not argue about whether this is a convenient name for a heterogeneous collection of subjects for teaching and research, or whether it should be regarded as a distinct academic discipline (see chapter 9). All that we can say is that there exists a significant movement for STS education whose main objective is to reform, or improve, or complement conventional science teaching in this general direction.

But what, in fact, does this subject consist of? For many of the advocates of STS education it seems sufficient to point out all the fallacies in the scientific attitude, and to correct them by reference to alternative points of view. Thus, for example, scientific positivism is to be opposed by philosophical arguments such as those of Karl Popper, or the notion of the objectivity of the scientific expert is to be examined critically in the light of historical evidence about technological decisionmaking. Each manifestation of scientism is to be combatted separately, on its own particular front.

Since the movement for STS education is little more than a loose alliance covering a wide spectrum of opinion, this piecemeal approach to the subject is conveniently non-controversial. Each teacher can feel free to draw up his own personal catalogue of horrors and errors, and to expound his own brand of alternative wisdom.