What it means to be scientifically literate
The ways in which we are literate are not the same across all disciplines. After we learn the basics of content literacy, our literacy skills become more specialized to the material. Literacy is specific to different disciplines. A scientist is going to read a journal in a much different way than a historian might. So, why are the literacy standards and expectations of disciplinary literacy uniform throughout the school systems across the disciplines? Students are not given the broad view of literacy strategies that professionals in the fields use to analyze and draw conclusions in their own work. Specifically, scientists are considered literate by how effective they are in analyzing procedures and data sets and conducting their own research. Therefore, for students to be literate in science students should not only be able to read and write scientifically, but should also be able to engage in science as an active process.
Society holds a very narrow view of what it means to be literate in science. For example, a quiz, developed by Jon D. Miller, the director of the International Center for the Advancement of Scientific Literacy at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, is believed to demonstrate that if you can correctly answer the fact based questions then you are considered to be scientifically literate. This quiz does not address the nature of scientific investigation. Rather, if you have memorized and can recall the scientific principles, then you are able to understand scientific concepts. Even as educators, we are expected to demonstrate our scientific literacy by taking a standardized, fact-based exam, the Praxis Subject Assessments, before going on to teach students in our discipline.
Contrary to society’s limited definition of science literacy, Rhett Allain (2015) published an article on Wired responding to Miller’s quiz stating, “As a human, I would expect a scientific literate person to be able to do the following:
- Build a model based on experimental evidence (physical model, conceptual model, mathematical model).
- Use and understand some existing models (you can’t build everything yourself).
- Understand the limitations of science.
- Think of an experiment to test a particular model.”
The author links scientific literacy to the physical act of “doing science.” He compares science literacy to what the science professionals accomplish in their field. Similarly, a study done by Shanahan and Shanahan (2008) looked at the literacy practices of chemists, historians, and mathematicians. They noticed that each discipline examined their texts in very different ways. Historians viewed texts as an opinion of the author and nothing was factual. The time period and author had everything to do with analyzing the text. Mathematicians focused on the meaning of the symbols and the ability to follow a mathematical proof to completion in the text. Chemists focused on the procedure and data of the experiment in the text (pg. 51–53). As shown, each discipline analyzed and focused on texts in very different manners. So, if we want our students to be science literate, they need to be taught to critically analyze and perform experiments as a scientist in the profession would.
Plaut says in her book The Right to Literacy in Secondary Schools, that as science educators we need to ignite a “fire” in our students for science learning. She goes on to say that to ignite a flame you need three independent elements, Oxygen, Fuel, and a Spark:
- “Oxygen: The belief in your student’s ability and that they have a right to engage in scientific principles.
- Fuel: Your inquiry-based teaching practices that will lead to engagement and a deep understanding of scientific principles.
- Spark: The use of literacy strategies to aid in the inquiry process” (pg 83–84).
Using this model as a guide, educators can start to engage students in practices reminiscent of scientists in today’s world. They can begin to think critically and develop essential problem solving skills that will not only help them in the realm of science, but in all of life’s disciplines. It is important to remember that literacy in science is more than the reiteration of science facts and as educators, we should strive to incorporate active engagement in scientific processes for our students. Through inquiry-based lessons, we can emphasize science as the active literary process that professionals perform everyday.
Allain, R. (2015, August 15). What does scientific literacy really mean? Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2015/08/scientific-literacy-really-mean/
DeFrancesco, V. (2015, May 4). How science-literate are you? Retreived from http://chronicle.com/article/How-Science-Literate-Are-You-/229753/
Plaut, S. (2009). The right to literacy in secondary schools. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Shanahan, T., Shanahan, C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: Rethinking content-area literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 40–59.
