Science Education for Social and Ethical Responsibilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

For a sustainable future, scientists and educators are emphasizing the social and ethical values associated with science. In this perspective, science education is seen as "promising" for fostering the values and skills necessary to become well-informed citizens for young minds. The researcher analyzed the favourable aspects of the idea of teaching science with its social and ethical responsibility.  A review of science education studies included focusing on social and ethical issues. A total of 26 papers, covering 2003 to 2023, were carefully examined to determine their applicability in the aforementioned context. This paper also attempts to discuss the evolution of research in science education, shifting from a more conceptual understanding to its social and ethical relevance in society. The paper underlines the issues and challenges that lead to identifying the need to discuss science education with real-world problems by situating it in its social, political, and cultural context. The paper argues that a framework needs to be developed which is both contextually and culturally relevant for learners. Additionally, numerous aspects of science education for global social and ethical responsibility were addressed. The final section manages to recommend certain suggestions that can be adopted by teachers at different levels of education.