Scholars in the field of education for sustainable development argue that it is vital that educators take emotions into account when teaching about global problems such as climate change. How to do this in the best way is still debated, however. This article aims to contribute to this discussion by arguing for the importance of critical emotional…

This study examined secondary science teachers' conceptions of democratic citizenship and their beliefs about how citizenship relates to science education. These beliefs and conceptions were studied through a framework comprised of theories of belief, citizenship education, and civic engagement with science. Data were collected from 10 teachers…

An Amplified Mindset of Design (AMD) has emerged from recent research on emerging design practices, as designers are once again re-inventing their identity to include an adaptability to uncertainty and paradox. However, this is not yet visible in what design education offers. As designers intervene in complex contexts and embrace participatory,…

This article addresses the need for researchers to move beyond discipline-specific approaches to research and practice and offers an example of how interdisciplinary understandings can increase knowledge in respective disciplines. The specific focus of the article is the shared challenges of broaching controversy in science and social studies…

The underlying assumption to this paper is that learners' ability to appreciate the relevance of school science and its importance to socio-economic development of their communities to a large extent depends on the quality of instruction they receive from their teachers. A popular conundrum is that no country is greater than the calibre of its…

Citizens participating in contemporary socio-scientific issues (SSI) need to draw on local knowledge and personal experience. If curricular developments in the teaching of controversial SSI are to reflect contemporary notions of citizenship then the personal narrative is an indispensable instrument in bridging the gap between the local/personal…

Situated within a university-based content literacy course, this article considers the spaces between the curricular realities of middle school and high school classrooms, what we call the "what is," and potential alternative configurations of curriculum and instruction for these classrooms, what we call the "what could be."…

Since evaluation has its roots in many disciplines, teaching evaluation from an interdisciplinary perspective offers special potential. A course in the Social Ecology Program at the University of California, Irvine, which provides students with the skills, knowledge, and field experiences necessary for conducting effective evaluation studies is…

Technology, Society, and You is a six-week interdisciplinary unit in the ninth-grade English curriculum in a West Virginia junior high school. The focus is on the interaction between technology and the individual, the opportunities and problems associated with its use, and the role that humans can play in influencing its direction. (SK)

A newspaper's reporting and documenting of a local issue is used as a curricular starting point in many subject areas. (Author/KM)

Problems and successes of teaching an interdisciplinary and innovative course on the 1960's are reviewed by the team that taught it at Samford University. The basic framework was chronological, with heavy reading assignments and group discussions used to cover the social and political issues of the decade. (LBH)

Reviews the problems and benefits associated with instruction of controversial issues, questioning the effectiveness of a neutral and objective position in the discussion of controversial topics. Also assesses prevalent teacher tendencies in instructional approaches and offers suggestions for classroom adoption. (ML)

Asserts that, for citizens in a democracy to understand and act upon complex societal issues, they must be able to integrate knowledge from a variety of subjects. Traces the history of interdisciplinary social studies education and examines arguments of its supporters and detractors. (CFR)

Provided are examples of science/society scenarios for biology, chemistry, and physics classes, as well as those of an interdisciplinary nature. These scenarios present some social or ethical problems related to the discipline and pose questions for student discussions. (Includes description of a project involved in developing/piloting such…

Described is the Issue Analysis Technique designed to educate students about the various beliefs and values held by the people on various sides of a controversial science-related social issue. The background of the technique, procedures, and curricular goals are discussed. An example is provided. (CW)