Towards Socially Responsible Biology: Two Cases in a Teacher Education Programme

Overview & Synopsis

Science teacher education has traditionally presented science as a body of knowledge to be mastered, along with the methods that may be used to help learners to master this body of knowledge. With pressure mounting on higher education institutions to engage more actively with communities, avenues have opened up to facilitate the development of teacher education courses that incorporate education for the empowerment of communities. This paper reports on two cases of socially responsible biology courses which enable students to interact with their communities. The two cases were applied in two biology education modules, using education for sustainable development (ESD) as a concept to define the content and activities incorporated in the above-mentioned modules. The first case incorporates ESD in a method module where students are required to develop an environmental policy for a school in collaboration with the school. The second case incorporates ESD in a biology education research module where students are required to direct their research activities in such a way that their research contributes to communities living healthier and more sustainable lives. By incorporating this approach in science education courses, the opportunity arises to promote personal growth and social responsibility through science learning. While developing their knowledge and skills pertaining to science education, they are able to reflect on their roles as educators in a broader community and in particular their roles of agents of change in that community.