Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2226-6348

The Influence of Science Knowledge and Moral Sensitivity on Socioscientific Reasoning among form Four Students

Shafiah Abdul Rashid, Khadijah Abdul Razak, Siti Nur Diyana binti Mahmud

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i1/20737

Open access

Socioscientific reasoning is a process of making scientific judgments along with moral justification involving issues in science and society. This study aims to identify the level of Science Knowledge, Moral Sensitivity and Socioscientific Reasoning of secondary school students using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences 25.0 (SPSS) software. It also aims to identify the influence of Science Knowledge and Moral Sensitivity on Socioscientific Reasoning. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM ) technique is applied using SmartPLS 4.0 software. A total of 307 Form Four students from boarding school (Sekolah Berasrama Penuh, SBP) in Negeri Sembilan had been randomly selected to answer a survey consisting of four sections, namely demography section, a multiple-choice Science Knowledge test, a short structured Moral Sensitivity test and a multiple choice Socioscientific Reasoning test. The findings of the study show that students' Science Knowledge and Socioscientific Reasoning are at a moderate level while Moral Sensitivity level is high. PLS SEM structural equation model analysis shows that Science Knowledge influence Socioscientific Reasoning the most whereas Moral Sensitivity shows weak influence towards Socioscientific Reasoning. The findings of this study implies that teachers in schools should discuss socioscientific issues not only from scientific perspective but also in a more holistic way by including moral value aspect. This move is crucial in order to promote science literacy so that students will be able to apply their science knowledge to solve problems in daily lives.

Altan, B. E., Ozturk, N., & Turkoglu, Y. A. (2018). Socio-scientific issues as a context for STEM education: A case study research with pre-service science teachers. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(4), 805-812. doi: 10.12973/eu-jer.7.4.805
Chang, S. N., Chiu, M. H. (2008). Lakatos’ scientific research programmes as a framework for analysing informal argumentation about socio-scientific issues. Int J Sci Educ 30:1753–1773
Christenson, N., Rundgren, C. S. N., & Höglund, H. O. (2012). Using the SEE-SEP Model to Analyze Upper Secondary Students’ Use of Supporting Reasons in Arguing Socioscientific Issues. Journal of Science Education and Technology. Vol. 21(3): 342–352. doi:10.1007/s10956-011-9328-x
Cian, H. (2019). Influence of student values, knowledge and experience and socioscientific topic on measures of high-school student socioscientific. PhD thesis. Graduate School of Clemson University.
Clarkeburn, H. (2002). A test for ethical sensitivity in science. Journal of Moral Education. Vol. 31. 439–453.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioural sciences (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage
Cummings, K. M. (2017). Searching for scientific literacy and critical pedagogy in socioscientific curricula: a critical discource analysis. PhD Thesis. Tift College of Education. Mercer University.
Davisson, S. (2019). Curriculum based on socioscientific issues: Bringing the controversy into science class. Master Degree of Science thesis. Carlifornia State University. Proquest LLC. Parkway.
Fowler, S. R., Zeidler, D. L., & Sadler, T. D. (2009). Moral sensitivity in the context of socioscientific issues in high school science students. International Journal of Science Education 31(2): 279–296. doi:10.1080/09500690701787909
Gutierez, S. (2015). Integrating socio-scientific issues to enhance the bioethical decision-making skills of high school students. International Education Studies; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2015 ISSN 1913-9020 E-ISSN 1913-9039
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A premier on partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Henseler, J., Hubona, G. S., & Ray, P.A. (2017). Partial Least Square path modelling: Updated guidelines. In H. Latan, & R. Noonan (Eds). Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling: Basic Concepts, Methodological Issues and Applications (pp. 19-39). Heidelberg: Springer.
Herman, B. C., Zeidler, D. L., & Newton, M. (2020). Students’ Emotive Reasoning through Place-Based Environmental Socioscientific Issues. Research in Science Education, 50(5), 2081–2109. https://doi. org/10.1007/s11165-018-9764-1
Holbrook, J., & Rannikmae, M. (2009). The meaning of scientific literacy. International Journal of Science Education. Vol. 4(3). 275?288.
Jackson, W. M., Binding, M. K., Grindstaff, K., Hariani, M., Koo, B. W. (2023). Addressing Sustainability in the High School Biology Classroom through Socioscientific Issues. Sustainability. 15, 5766. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su15075766
Karahan, E., & Roehrig, G. (2017). Secondary school students' understanding of science and their socioscientific reasoning. Research in Science Education, 47(4), 755- 782. doi:10.1007/s11165-016-9527-9
Kinslow, A. T., Sadler, T. D., & Nguyen, H. T. (2019). Socio-scientific reasoning and environmental literacy in a field-based ecology class. Environmental Education Research, 25(3), 388-410.
Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling. 4th Edition. New York: The Guilford Press.
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement. Vol. 30: 607-610.
Lee, H., Yoo, J., Choi, K., Kim, S. W., Krajcik, J., Herman, B. C., & Zeidler, D. L. (2013). Socioscientific Issues as a Vehicle for Promoting Character and Values for Global Citizens. International Journal of Science Education. Vol. 35(12): 2079–2113. doi:10.1080/09500693.2012.749546
Lee, T. Y., & Lok, D. P. (2012). Bonding as a positive youth development construct: A conceptual review. The Scientific World Journal. Article ID 481471. Doi: 10.1100/2012/481471.
Rose, L. S., & Barton, C. A. (2012). Should great lakes city build a new power plant? How youth navigate socioscientific issues. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Vol. 49(5). 541-567. 10.1002/tea.21017
Irmak, M. (2020). Socioscientific Reasoning Competencies and Nature of Science Conceptions of Undergraduate Students from Different Faculties. Science Education International. 31(1), 65-73 https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v31.i1.7
Nguyen, A., & Catalan-Matamoros, D. (2020). Digital mis/disinformation and public engagement with health and science controversies: fresh perspectives from Covid-19. Media and Communication, 8(2), 323–328
Rigdon, E. E. (2012). Rethinking partial least squares path modelling: In praise of simple methods. Long Range Planning, 45, 341-358.
Roberts, D. A. (2007). Scientific literacy/science literacy. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of research in science education (pp. 729-780). Mahwa, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Rundgren, C. J., Eriksson, M., & Rundgren, S. N. C. (2016). Investigating the Intertwinement of Knowledge, Value, and Experience of Upper Secondary Students’ Argumentation Concerning Socioscientific Issues. Science and Education. Vol. 25(9–10): 1049–1071. doi:10.1007/s11191-016-9859-x
Sadler, T. D., & Zeidler, D. L. (2005). The significance of content knowledge for informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues: Applying genetics knowledge to genetic engineering issues. Science Education. Vol. 89(1), 71-93. doi:10.1002/sce.20023
Sadler, T. D., Barab, S. A., & Scott, B. (2007). What do students gain by engaging in socioscientific inquiry? Research in Science Education. Vol. 37, 371-391
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach. 7th Edition. United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Topçu, M. S., Yilmaz-Tüzün, Ö., & Sadler, T. D. (2011). Turkish preservice science teachers' informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues and the factors influencing their informal reasoning. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 22(4), 313-332. doi:10.1007/s10972-010-9221-0
Westbrook, E. G., & Breiner, J. M. (2019). A Case Study of the Development of Moral Sensitivity in Preservice Science Teachers as the Result of Exposure to Unintegrated and Integrated Socio-scientific Issues. Journal for Research and Practice in College Teaching. Vol. 4(1): 67–83
Valladares, L. (2021). Scientific Literacy and Social Transformation: Critical Perspectives About Science Participation and Emancipation. Science & Education. Vol. 30:557–587 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-021-00205-2. 557-587.
Zeidler, D. L., Sadler, T. D., Simmons, M. L., & Howes, E. V. (2005). Beyond STS: A research-based framework for socioscientific issues education. Science Education. Vol. 89(3): 357–377. doi:10.1002/sce.20048
Zeidler, D. L., Sadler, T. D., Applebaum, S., & Callahan, B. E. (2009). Advancing reflective judgment through socioscientific issues. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Vol. 46(1). 74-101.
Zeidler, D., & Sadler, D. (2011). An inclusive view of scientific literacy: Core issues and future directions of socioscientific reasoning in Linder, C. Ostman, L, Roberts, D.A., Wickman, P., Erickson, G. & MacKinnon, A. (Eds.), Promoting scientific literacy: Science education research in transaction. New York: Routledge / Taylor & Francis Group. (pp. 176- 192).
Zeidler, D. L. (2014). Socioscientific issues as a curriculum emphasis: Theory, research, and practice. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of Research in Science Education. Vol. 2, pp. 697-726. New York, NY: Routledge.

(Rashid et al., 2024)
Rashid, S. A., Razak, K. A., & Mahmud, S. N. D. binti. (2024). The Influence of Science Knowledge and Moral Sensitivity on Socioscientific Reasoning among form Four Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13(1), 2277–2288.