Using the socioscientific issue approach to foster secondary students' argumentation skills, science self-efficacy beliefs and science interest.

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Title: Using the socioscientific issue approach to foster secondary students' argumentation skills, science self-efficacy beliefs and science interest.
Authors: Smit, Robbert1 (AUTHOR) robbert.smit@phsg.ch, Rietz, Florian1 (AUTHOR), Büchel, Désirée1 (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Science Education. Jun2026, Vol. 48 Issue 9, p1356-1372. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Secondary education, *Education methodology, *Academic motivation, *Critical thinking, *Socioeconomic status, Pandemics, Self-efficacy, Scientific literacy
Abstract: Socio-scientific issues (SSI) are open-ended social problems with substantive connections to science. They represent the kind of situations in which many people must decide between different perspectives and decisions. Therefore, using these issues in formal science education provides an ideal approach for promoting scientific literacy and moral education. We designed a series of seven lessons that aimed to build relevant skills in young people so that they can participate responsibly in pandemic response measures. In the study, three classes with 49 Grade 9 students formed the basis for a mixed-methods analysis. We measured knowledge, attitudes, and argumentation skills. Science interest and self-efficacy beliefs increased, although students showed no growth on average in the knowledge test. Unexpectedly, no significant development in moral and value attitudes was detected. However, socioscientific accountability turned out to be helpful in explaining differences in interest and efficacy beliefs. Argumentation skills seemed dependent on the students' socioeconomic status (SES) only. Various proposals for further studies on the hitherto little-studied interactions between variables for explaining SSI understanding are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Science Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Using the socioscientific issue approach to foster secondary students' argumentation skills, science self-efficacy beliefs and science interest.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+Education%22">International Journal of Science Education</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 48 Issue 9, p1356-1372. 17p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+education%22">Secondary education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+methodology%22">Education methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+motivation%22">Academic motivation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+thinking%22">Critical thinking</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+status%22">Socioeconomic status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-efficacy%22">Self-efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+literacy%22">Scientific literacy</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Socio-scientific issues (SSI) are open-ended social problems with substantive connections to science. They represent the kind of situations in which many people must decide between different perspectives and decisions. Therefore, using these issues in formal science education provides an ideal approach for promoting scientific literacy and moral education. We designed a series of seven lessons that aimed to build relevant skills in young people so that they can participate responsibly in pandemic response measures. In the study, three classes with 49 Grade 9 students formed the basis for a mixed-methods analysis. We measured knowledge, attitudes, and argumentation skills. Science interest and self-efficacy beliefs increased, although students showed no growth on average in the knowledge test. Unexpectedly, no significant development in moral and value attitudes was detected. However, socioscientific accountability turned out to be helpful in explaining differences in interest and efficacy beliefs. Argumentation skills seemed dependent on the students' socioeconomic status (SES) only. Various proposals for further studies on the hitherto little-studied interactions between variables for explaining SSI understanding are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Science Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09500693.2025.2460050
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Secondary education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic motivation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Critical thinking
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
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      – SubjectFull: Self-efficacy
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      – SubjectFull: Scientific literacy
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      – TitleFull: Using the socioscientific issue approach to foster secondary students' argumentation skills, science self-efficacy beliefs and science interest.
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            NameFull: Smit, Robbert
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            NameFull: Rietz, Florian
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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