Name: Ameh Jonathan

Reg. No: PG/M.Ed/19/91337

Department: Science Education (Integrated Science Unit)

SEMINAR TOPIC
Basic Science Teaching and Learning by Using, Science Technology and Society (STS)
Approach.

OUTLINE
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Status of basic science in Nigeria education
4. Challenges facing basic science in Nigeria
5. Concept of science, technology and society
6. STS Approach to science teaching
7. Enhancing basic science teaching and learning through STS approach
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendation
10. References
Abstract
This work focused on the enhancement of basic science Teaching and learning
through the use of Science, Technology and Society (STS) Approach. Basic science as
an elementary and interdisciplinary science subject aimed at prepare early learners
for future advanced sciences started as general science in Nigeria in 1878. The
subject received several reformations with concomitant change of name and
establishment of agencies such as Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) for
the improvement of the discipline for national development. Despite these efforts, poor
method of teaching, inexperienced teachers, inadequate teachers, lack of facilities,
inexperienced policy makers, lack of Labs and experiments, and poor remunerations
are challenges beclouding the actualization of basic science goals and objectives. In
order to ameliorate these challenges, the paper suggested STS approaches as a way of
improving basic science teaching and learning. STS Approach is the concept that
emphasizes the links between science, technology and society. The following STS
approaches were discoursed and suggested; hands on learning, storytelling, role play,
science at home, flipped classroom, guided discovery problems, visual clues,
instructional conversations, science text cards, word games, graphics organizers,
virtual science labs, word walls, thinking maps and word parts. In addition to the
suggestion of these approaches to the basic science teachers, the following
recommendation were made; basic science teachers should domesticate science
concepts as well as regularly participate in science workshops/seminars in order to be
more effective in doing their jobs; government should employ more basic science
teachers and improve their wages so they can give desired attention to their primary
duties; there should be provision of basic facilities by government and NGOs for the
teaching/learning of basic science; and educational policy makers should take their
decision based on the feedbacks from classes.
Introduction
Basic science is an elementary inter-disciplinary subject proposed to prepare the
early learners for future advanced science disciplines. Research finding of Negedu s.
(2008) identified the crucial roles of science in national growth and development.
The major goal of any nation is to live up to global standard where tasks could be
tackled without stress. The role of basic science in actualizing this goal cannot be
over-emphasized. Science as well as technology is a strong tool for the development
of any nation. Science and technology made united nation, Canada and other
developed countries what they are today (Akale, 2010). Obviously, no nation can
grow beyond her science, technology and educational levels, Otula (2010:5) opined
that, we are living in a world where science and technology have become an integral
part of the world’s culture, and any country that overlooks this significant truism
does so at the risk of remaining backward in technology fast moving world”. Thus,
science as a tool for rapid and sustainable development should be given utmost
attention it requires.
Science should be learnt and practiced in consonant with the immediate society
(nation), but the opposite is the case with Nigeria. Science and technology are
meaningless without the society, because the product of science and technology are
for the society. It is the needs of society especially in material terms that pave ways
for science and technology to come to play. The societal framework is built on
political, cultural, economy, interest and values, aesthetic, social philosophers and
ideologies. Based on those components, every society chooses what it needs. In this
case, the type of science and technology that suits it’s educational needs. Although
much of our world has been developed by science and technology, yet to large
extent the society, based on its goals and aspirations skills shapes or determines the
kind of science and technology it needs.
In the light of the above, basic science which is the bedrock of special science and
technology can only be domesticated and promoted for societal maximum benefit if
the special approach called STS approach is used as a method of instruction.

Status of basic Science in Nigeria

Initially, science was learnt in Nigeria as a general science. The general science was
introduced into the Nigeria system of education as early as 1878, later; the general
science was disintegrated into various science subjects such as physics, biology and
chemistry.
In 1960s a course called integrated science was included in Nigeria syllable due to
curriculum development and motivations in many parts of Africa including Nigeria.
As at then, Nigerian educators argued that there should be integrated science in
schools in other to foster proper understanding of the place of science in the society
and functional technology. They opined that, establishment of Integrated science
subject can lay adequate foundation for subsequent study of sciences.
Hence, in early 1968, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) requested the
Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) to revise the science syllabus. It was
during the revision that the course integrated Science was fully adopted into science
curriculum. In 1970, a document containing the philosophy, methods, contents and
evaluation of Integrated Science was published.
According to National Policy on Education (NPE) prescribed integrated science to be
taught in primary and JSS in the year 1977.
According to the NPE, under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Education (FME),
the philosophy guiding the teaching of integrated science as a course are as follows;
 to stress the fundamental unity of science.
 to ensure it is relevant to the child’s needs and experiences.
 to lay adequate foundation for subsequent study.
 to add a cultural dimension to science education.
To enhance the goals and objectives of science education as stipulated by NPE, the
teaching of integrated science has been extended to tertiary level of education.
Presently, integrated science has been granted a full status as an independent
department in colleges of education and universities.
With the re-introduction of the universal basic education (UBE) scheme launched by
President Olusegun Obasanjo on 30th September 1999, there is a new dimension to
the integrated science education in Nigeria. By the scheme, there is need for
restructuring the entire science teacher-training programme.
In order to appropriate the aims of integrated science in primary and junior
secondary schools, the name “integrated science” was changed to “basic science”
through the universal basic education commission programme reformation in 2012.
Despite the contributions and reformations in basic science by professional bodies
and authorities, there are still noticeable challenges dwindling the achievements of
basic science objectives in Nigeria.
Research has shown that there are factors such as inappropriate method of teaching,
incompetency of teacher, lack of facilities among others are inhibiting the success of
implementation of the basic science programme.
These make students achievement, interest and attitude toward the course to be
very low (Odunisi, 2019). Thus, it is hoped that by using alternative teaching
approaches such as STS approach may enhance learners’ achievement in basic sc.,
thereby ameliorating the deficiency of the course programme in Nigeria.
To buttress this, the result of the findings by Ogunleye & Sowunmi (2020) on the
evaluation of basic science curriculum implementation in junior secondary school in
Lagos, Nigeria revealed that the new national curriculum for basic science in Nigeria
has been in school for a decade, with students’ performance in the subject and in
subsequent science venture manifesting poor status. The basic science classes were
found to be larger than the prescribed and teaching effectiveness of the subject, was
poor the equipment and facilities were also not adequate, most of the teachers were
not authorities in the field, non science method of teaching were in use. Students
had fairly good performance with positive attitude to basic science but these are
below the expectation.

Problems facing basic science in Nigeria

The following are the major challenges facing basic science teaching in Nigeria
primary and junior secondary schools;
 Over-flooding of discrete science teachers in basic science at all levels: it is
necessary to be fully aware of the unified nature of the basic science. Since most
available teachers in basic science are not brought up with basic science philosophy
and methodology, they teach it’s concepts like concepts of discrete sciences such as
biology, chemistry and physics. This practice has undermined the nature and purpose
of basic science. As oppose to the philosophy and objectives of basic science, they
would be scientists are receiving advance knowledge in science instead of
prerequisite principles and skills needed for future sciences. This teaching of basic
science like biology, chemistry and physics is tantamount to feeding of new babies
with flesh and bones instead of breast milk, the resultant effects of this are
constipation and malfunctioning. Nigeria lacks basic science professionals who are
competent in the field (Hardos, 2018). The few that are available are not engage in
Nigeria schools to effectively handle the subject; instead, the square pegs are fixed in
the round holes.

 Lack of facilities: most Nigeria primary and secondary schools do not have the
necessary items that are required for the teaching of basic science. This foundational
course highly needs materials to simplify and domesticate its concepts.
 Inappropriate strategies and methods use in teaching basic science: Ahmed et.al.
(2015) in the study, “Introduction of the Science, Technology and Society in Nigeria
Curriculum, identified lack of classroom activities for the students as one of the
implementation constraints to basic science. Majority of teachers of basic science at
the primary and secondary levels of education use talk-and-chalk method as the
dominant method of teaching. The teachers rarely use investigative and problem-
solving teaching strategies such as project method, problem-based learning,
educational visits and cooperative learning method. These innovative strategies and
methods tend to prepare the learners for life in the 21st century world which needs a lot
of team work and social skills for survival in the work (Obanya, 2016). According to
Obanya, the dominant teaching methods and strategies used by the teachers do not
encourage creativity and innovation among science students. Teachers of basic
science lack the adequate skills and methods that are needed for the dissemination
of basic science knowledge; they indulge in using methods that cannot arouse
interest in the early learners of science.
 Involvement of non qualified member in basic science decision making: many
educational policy makers today were not selected based on the prerequisite skills
and knowledge for the job, but selected based on the opportunity that comes their
ways. This has high reaching negative effects on the decision that are made available
for the actualization of basic science goals and objectives.
 Unstable staff: another problem be dwelling basic science is the problem of
instability, due to poor earning of basic science teachers, many people use the
teaching profession as stepping stone to more attracting jobs. This has made fresh
graduates of universities and colleges of education to hold teaching profession with
levity. According to Nneamaka (2019), as a result of meager payment, most Nigerian
teachers do have other jobs which they give more attention to. And this no doubt
affects their effectiveness in teaching basic science. Imaging a basic science teacher
working as a brick layer during or after school hours.
 Lab and experiment: it is required of science teachers to spend more time in the
preparation and setting of lab for experiment. Therefore, science teachers have less
time to grade during the normal school hours and often find themselves working late
or coming in early to keep up.
Concept of science, technology and society
Science, Technology and Society (STS) is an interdisciplinary field that studies the
conditions under which the production, distribution and utilization of scientific
knowledge and technological system occur and the consequences of these activities
upon different groups of people (Bijker, 2001).
Science, technology and society could also be defined as an outlook on science
education that emphasizes the teaching and learning of science and technology in their
cultural, economic, social and political context.
It emerged from the confluence of variety of disciplines and disciplinary subfield, all
of which had developed an interest in viewing science and technology as socially
embodied enterprises. The essence of how science and technology contribute to the
society is the creation of new knowledge and then utilization of that knowledge to
boost the prosperity of human lives and solve various issues facing the society
The term science, technology and society (STS) was first used by Gallager in 1971 as
it concerns science teaching. The need for STS was due to the failure of early science
curricular in the united state of America (USA). This earlier curricular used for
science teaching in the 1950s and 1960s were offshoot of the sputnik project in the
union of soviet socialist republic (USSR), chemistry. Study in the US and the Nuffield
programmes in the United Kingdom (UK). The approach adopted in the earlier
curriculum of science teaching not foster adequate understanding of the concepts for
environmental problem solving. Thus, there arose a shift in emphasis from pedagogic
process system of teaching science. This led to the birth of various agencies such as
science curriculum improvement study (SCIS), Science-A- process-Approach (SAPA)
and American Association for the Advancement of Science). These agencies were
mandated to research and improve the then existing science education curricular in the
U.S.
The research activities of these agencies coupled with efforts of advocates for reforms
in science education led to the development of several approaches in science teaching
among which is the STS-Approach to science teaching.
Since the adoption of STS-approach in the US, it has been widely accepted and
infused over the last two decades in the science education curricular of several
countries. For instance, in the U.K, STS is taught as “Science and Technology in
Society (SATIS), a project that is the brain child of the Association of Science
Education in the U.S.
Presently, there are many projects and programmes that are in line with STS-
Approach. Among others, some of such prograammes and projects are Association for
Science Education (ASE), Science in a Society, project synthesis (PS) of the National
Science Foundation in the U.S, Science in a societal context and science; a way of
knowing in Canada. Recently, United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) and science for all Americans (STAA), which have taken
the lead in STS curricular development. In Nigeria, Early learning science series for
Africa (ELSSA), has taken the lead of the primary school level while National
Education Research Development Council (NERDC) project follows at the secondary
school level. Thus, STS arose primarily as one of the remedy to the prevailing unusual
situation in science education in the post world war II period of the 1950s, 1960s and
1970s.
The National Science Teachers Association (1994) in the USA defined STS-approach
as that which emphasize links between science, technology and society by means of
emphasizing one or more of the following; a technological artifacts, process or
expertise, the interactions between technology and society, a societal issue related to
science or technology, a philosophical and historical or social issue within the
scientific or technological community.
From the afore-mentioned definitions and trends of STS-approach, STS is an
approach that brought about graduation from mere verbalization of scientific and
technological issues into real solving of societal problems; a view that is considered
curricular.
The emphasis of science teaching around concepts has been one of the drawbacks of
most previous science curricular.
STS stresses the importance of technology and science, such that technology concepts
are included in science courses and taught to make individuals construct out meaning
of objects and events they encounter on their own. This is also in line with Piagets’
theory of meaningful learning.
By this theory, Piaget (1954) asserted that, learning should be the interaction between
child and his/her environment. In other words, learning does not depend on mental
ability alone, rather the child’s interaction with people is important in the development
of the child’s view of the world.
Through exchange of ideas with other people, he becomes aware of his own one side
subjective viewpoint, and by combining the viewpoints of others with his own, he
develops an objectives outlook. Piaget also advocated for the individual organization
for mental activity into what he referred to as “cognitive structures”. Cognitive
structure refers to the interrelationship of bodies of concepts. And these concepts
become more meaningful to the child as he interacts with his environment. Thus,
many educators observed Piaget’s theory as one of the framework for developing any
learners centered approach such as the STS approach.

STS Approach to science teaching

STS is learner central approach and embraces all methods that can make learning
meaningful to learners. It involves a wide range of teaching approaches such as
projects, role-play, investigation, values clarification among others.
Ziman (2009), proposed seven different approaches to STS in science teaching as
follows;
- Inter-disciplinary approach; teaching of basic science should be done in such a way
that concepts in various sciences are not repeated; also inter-disciplinary boundaries
between sciences are mot stressed.
- Making science relevant; learning science should have social, cultural, economical
relevancies to the learners and the society at large.
- Vocational approach: learners should be equipped with the skills that should be
used to promote technological advancement. Hence hand-on methods should be
constantly used by the teachers
- Historical approach: Relate what is taught to previous events to show science as a
field of continuous transformation.
- Philosophical approach: Meaning and philosophy of science as basic for the study
of science should be constantly emphasized for the learners.
- Sociological approach: Issues of socio-scientific concern in science education
should be frequently rehearsed.
- Problematic approach: Solutions to socio-scientific problems. Thus, the
methodology of STS-approach is continuous, thereby the STS teacher should involve
in completely continuous organization of appropriate methods and strategies that can
help in actualization of STS-approach goals.
 These afore-mentioned STS approaches gave birth to specific teaching methods that
are stated and discoursed for enhancement of basic science in the immediate
subsequent sub-heading.
Enhancing basic science teaching and learning through STS approach
Student engagement and understanding of materials as stipulated by STS approaches
are highly efficacious than spoon feeding the learners with facts. Therefore, using
black-boards or the typical lecture methods are not adequate to teach basic science and
other related subjects. Many scholars and researchers in STS disciplines have
proposed advanced ideas and they claim that virtual teaching scenarios or simulations
can help to build a better understanding of subjects amongst students. More than just
conveying facts or findings in science, students will love to explore the world of
science. These under listed innovative teaching methods as approved by STS can
effectively enhance teaching and learning of basic science at primary and secondary
school level as well as advanced levels where teachers of basic science are made.
These approaches/methods are;
 Hands on Learning
This is the best teaching method invented so far that involves the active participation
of students to experience scientific concepts than to just have an audience view.
Schools are promoting the use of low cost apparatus in classrooms to helps students to
have hands on learning experience. It can be a string telephone to teach about sound
and communication, matchstick mecanno to teach 3D structures, notched pencil to
teach rotation motion or anything similar.
 Story Telling
Students love to hear stories and therefore, storytelling is one of the best ways to get
their attention in class. Teacher can explain the facts or laws of basic science in the
form of stories. This is a mental organizer as human brains can remember stories than
just plain facts. Some teachers present the whole concept as a story while some others
use a story to open and end the session.
 Role Play
This innovative method is becoming an integral part of science education as students
can intellectually and physically involve through activities while learning a new
concept. Activities can be organized in classroom sessions where a group of students
can take the role of atoms or molecules to study a chemical reaction or they can
represent a scientist group to demonstrate the particular scientist’s laws.
 Science at home
Like scientists say, science starts from home. Encourage your students to discover
science at home from elementary classes itself. Ask them to find out a specific science
concept application at home as assignments and let them discover science on the go.
There are fun science activities at home that involve parents and kids such as
measuring Earth’s circumference with a shadow, creating under water, building a
balloon powered toy car and a lot more.
 Flipped Classroom
In this innovative teaching technique, students are asked to go through video
instructions or tutorials in the initial stage, i.e. digital learning. The second stage will
be in classrooms where they involve in challenging tasks and assignments base on the
information gathered through video assets. This flipped learning frees up class time
for activities such as hands-on labs, guided practice or online simulations.
 Guided Discovery Problems
Understanding science is more than just knowing some facts and the guided discovery
problems method makes it possible. This technique can be integrated into the lessons,
lab and field courses. It refers to understanding science step-by-step through the
discovery process and involves the collection and processing of data, debugging and
explaining it through intriguing puzzles, structured hands-on activities and right
presentation of information. The conceptually difficult or counter-intuitive topics are
better handled with this approach.
 Visual clues
Using visual clues easily supplements auditory information and students can easily
connect better with ideas. The multi-sensory experiences improve their understanding
and memorization. This includes drawings, diagrams, and pictures to assist theory and
setting up examples to show its application side. The sequence of lab procedures can
be better taught using pictures with words approach.
 Instructional Conversations
Building instructional conversations is a key method to teach science vocabulary. Let
them talk in between the lectures about the experience they had with an application
related to the topic of discussion. This promotes their dialogue construction in science
as they communicate using scientific and technical terms. Make this a classroom
strategy to help students to easily learn science vocabulary.

 Science Text Cards

This is an innovative teaching method to convey the science facts in an easy and
organized way. In this activity, statements related to science concepts are written on
index cards. Students can work individually, pairs or in groups to sort words that are
related.
 Word Games
This is a creative strategy to help elementary students to experience the language of
science. Hangman, Pictionary, Ding bats, Bingo, Scrabble, Odd One Out, Charades,
Trivial Pursuit etc. are the common games. Playing these games using scientific terms
helps the students to work closely with different hard to understand words and use
them fluently in basic science.
 Graphic Organizers
This teaching approach is helpful for students to interact with science in a more
organized and structured way. Basic science teachers can use different types of
templates to represent the data according to the topic that is being handled. A typical
format for graphic organizer contains a central point from which different branches
are formed and there may be sub-branches in certain cases. Arrows are used to point
the direction or sequence of a process.
 Virtual science labs
There are many virtual science labs available online for free and therefore, this
approach almost gives hands on experience of learning the subject without much
expense. Detailed diagrams, illustrations or close up pictures allow students to
virtually get inside a plant or animal parts without actually doing it. Dissections in
hands-on sensation without the problem of odour and similarly, experimenting a
chemical reaction without burns.
 Word walls
Science word walls in classrooms can stimulate the interest of students in the subject
and an opportunity for them to illustrate different basic science concepts. In an
advanced technique, a more in-depth understanding of different scientific terms can be
made possible with pictures that accompany the words. This is also an option to help
early science learner better understand words with multiple meanings. Teachers can
design creative word walls or ask students to contribute to the idea weekly or monthly.
 Thinking Maps
This is an ideal way to visually represent different thought processes which help to
organize the science education with a better flow. There are different types of thinking
maps available which can be chosen wisely to represent the particular topic. This
includes bridge maps to teach relation between ideas, brace maps to break larger
objects into smaller parts, flow maps to show sequence of events, multi-flow maps to
show effects or causes of an event, tree maps to classify objects or ideas and more.
 Word Parts
This teaching strategy is followed by teachers to educate the basics of science to
elementary students. While introducing new scientific terms, they can reinforce the
structure of words. Students are asked to identify and understand prefix, suffix, and
base word, and to relate their meanings. For example, metamorphosis—meta (large),
morph (change), osis (process); photosynthesis—photo (light), synth (make), isis
(process).
Conclusion
Conclusively, basic science which is the foundational subject for the would be science
experts is facing several challenges that ranges from poor method of teaching through
inadequate and inexperience teachers to un availability of resources, and bad
government policies. To restore the effective status of basic science for national
growth and development, the various challenges mentioned in this work so many
others inhibiting the effective teaching of basic science should be given the needed
attention. To this end, the science, technology and society approaches of teaching
discoursed in this work, should be embraced by various teachers of basic science since
these approaches have been approved through the empirical studies of several
researchers to be efficacious in enhancing achievement and interest in basic science.
Recommendation
Based on the results gotten from investigations in the course of this work, the
following recommendations were made;
- Basic science teachers should teach with the following STS approaches\methods:
Hands on Learning, role play, thinking maps, virtual science labs, word walls, graphic
organizers, instructional conversation, visual clues, science at home, flipped
classrooms, storytelling and hand-on problem.
- The government should employ more basic science teachers to replace the various
non basic science personnel over flooding basic science departments in Nigeria
schools.
- Seminars and workshops on new and innovative teaching methods should be
organized for basic science teachers.
- Educational policy makers should be receiving and acting on the feedbacks from
classes.
- The basic science teachers should imbibe with the spirits of innovation and
improvisation.
- The government should improve the wages of teachers, especially, science teachers
so they can concentrate on their primary assignment (teaching).
- The basic science teachers should domesticate science concepts; let the learners see
science concepts as antidotes to their problems and that of their societies.
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