Contribution
Description: In Sweden the teacher education programme (TEP) was reformed in 2001. To ensure a certain degree of continuity within the programme, all students study several courses in general education together. This part of the TEP includes education in crucial pedagogical theories, fundamental values and norms in a democratic society, as well as interdisciplinary studies, including science studies, e.g. genetics and genetic techniques.The aim of this study is to discuss the relevance of teaching democratic aspects integrated in strict natural scientific subject matter to beginners in TEP. Specifically, this means to investigate whether genetics and genetic techniques embrace a democratic potential, that can be beneficial to students when they are to develop a more profound understanding of democracy, and how fundamental democratic values can be implemented in school practice. Thereby, it is also crucial to discuss applied methods in order to facilitate such implementation. On the other hand, emphasise on democratic aspects might affect the students' possibilities to gain scientific knowledge negatively. Thus, it is also important to assess the students' learning process. These purposes can be investigated in different modes. However, in this study the students' views are highlighted. The framework and aim described above results in three research questions:1. How does teacher students see upon the relationship between genetics, genetic techniques and democracy?2. How does teacher students assess dilemma as an applied method in educational practice?3. What about the students learning process in science? Are they learning any genetics and genetic techniques or are entirely devoted to discuss democracy and fundamental values?
Methodology: In December 2005, 73 teacher students voluntarily participated in a written evaluation after they had carried out a compulsory exercise, including an assumed and tricky dilemma concerning democratic aspects on biological diversity and genetic techniques. A Likert-scale was used in the questionnaire and the students had to decide to what extent they agreed, or disagreed, towards some distinct assertions. Controls were used frequently. A quantitative approach was applied in order to analyse the questionnaires and the results will be tested statistically.
Conclusions: The text below describes the "expected outcomes" since the results are not yet analysed statistically.A majority of the teacher students claim there is a strong relationship between genetic techniques and democracy. Almost 60 percent of the teachers-to-be argue that it is important to discuss the democratic aspects connected to genetic techniques. On the other hand, many students seem to have indistinct notions of what democracy can imply in discursive praxis.Prior the evaluation the students were working with a dilemma. More than 80 percent of the students consider this method to enhance the level of problematisation and reflection, and that dilemma as an applied teaching method support critical thinking among the learners. In spite of the fact that the key subject matter in the dilemma was strictly natural science, almost 90 percent of the students claim the exercise in reality had obvious pedagogical implications, i.e. the method is relevant in educational practice and independent of the actual subject matter. Only three percent of the teachers-to-be argued the exercise was an irrelevant component in TEP.The students strongly support the notion that all citizens - including teacher students and their future pupils - need basic knowledge in genetics and genetic techniques. Accordingly, 55 percent of the students disapprove of the apprehension that knowledge in genetic and genetic techniques should be restricted to the experts. Instead, a majority of the respondents assert they have increased their knowledge in biological diversity and that they have obtained a more profound understanding of genetic, genetic techniques and its societal implications.
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