Science and Society in the Classroom: Using Sociocultural Perspec ...

Preface

We have recently seen a preponderance of literature in science education that focuses on sociocultural perspectives. These perspectives draw from the postmodern, feminist, historical, and political views and pose questions about accessing scientific knowledge by diverse groups of students in contemporary education settings (Carter, 2008). Three sociocultural perspectives in science education argue for us to revisit science education in the 21st century and thus curricular practices in the classrooms. First, science studies literature has become increasingly influential in challenging “western science's traditional claims to be value free, objective, and universal truth, revealing instead the sociocultural construction of scientific knowledge, and its coexistence with other various and multiple local/indigenous versions of science” (Carter, 2008, pp. 166–167). Second, science education has started to recognize the intersection of the normative culture of science and cultural and linguistic diversity as a result of a transformed, globalized world. As Carter (2008) posited, “globalization has meant that at the local level, the world's peoples rub more closely together ensuring that diversity, plurality, hybridity,