Authentic and Relevant Science Education at Train Line School through the Use of Science, Technology and Society (STS) Education?

Abstract

This study sought to determine the probable impact of a relevance-based approach to the teaching of primary science, through the employment of Science, Technology and Society (STS) education, on students’ perceptions of the relevance of science and their learning of scientific concepts and ideas. The students, who perceived science as irrelevant to their daily lives and performed below the level of proficiency on science tests, were exposed to a three-month course of STS education that focused on the relevance of science through purposeful infusion of STS content into the science curriculum. Data were collected, through surveys, from two Standard 4 classes comprising 30 students. The results showed that students exposed to STS education had an improved perception of the relevance of science, and scored higher on the post-test, than those who were not exposed to the unit