Pressing sustainability issues of our time, such as global warming, are closely linked to developments in the fields of science and technology. In this context, we believe it is crucial that education promotes the participatory role of citizens, willing and able to undertake an active role in the resolution of problematic situations. As part of our action research, we investigate ways in which science education can promote meaningful understandings of sustainability, as well as enhance young people’s action competences. In this chapter, we focus on a fundamental aspect of our work with students: the construction of Actor-Network (ANT) maps on sustainability issues. We argue that ANT maps are a suitable strategy to help learners understand the interactions between actors in the frame of such topics, which are by definition complex and multidimensional. The research took place in a year 8 (age 12–13) mixed-ability science class of an independent British school. Our research question explores how the strategy of ANT maps links to different levels of sustainability knowledges that students express. To answer this, we have created an evaluation rubric for ANT maps, which we present together with our insights on benefits and limitations of the strategy in terms of sustainability knowledge acquisition.

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Middle School Students’ Applications of Actor-Network Maps to Develop Knowledge of Sustainability on Socioscientific Issues

  • Dimitris Tsoubaris,
  • Georgia Liarakou,
  • Evgenia Flogaiti

摘要

Pressing sustainability issues of our time, such as global warming, are closely linked to developments in the fields of science and technology. In this context, we believe it is crucial that education promotes the participatory role of citizens, willing and able to undertake an active role in the resolution of problematic situations. As part of our action research, we investigate ways in which science education can promote meaningful understandings of sustainability, as well as enhance young people’s action competences. In this chapter, we focus on a fundamental aspect of our work with students: the construction of Actor-Network (ANT) maps on sustainability issues. We argue that ANT maps are a suitable strategy to help learners understand the interactions between actors in the frame of such topics, which are by definition complex and multidimensional. The research took place in a year 8 (age 12–13) mixed-ability science class of an independent British school. Our research question explores how the strategy of ANT maps links to different levels of sustainability knowledges that students express. To answer this, we have created an evaluation rubric for ANT maps, which we present together with our insights on benefits and limitations of the strategy in terms of sustainability knowledge acquisition.