Dr. Augusto Macalalag, associate professor of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education, recently co-authored the study “Development of Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge during Lesson Planning of Socioscientific Issues,” which was published in the International Journal of Technology in Education. 

The case study was co-authored by Arcadia doctoral Educational Leadership candidates, Zachary Minken and Andre Clarke, as well as Dr. Lisa Marco-Bujosa, professor of Education at Villanova University, and Dr. Carol Rulli, adjunct professor of Education at LaSalle University. 

The study addressed the pedagogical challenges that teachers face when incorporating elements of socioscientific issues (SSI) into planning science and mathematics lessons. After having teachers work in groups to design and implement SSI lessons over a five month period, findings showed that those who participated had positive changes in all SSI elements, but teachers still struggled with balancing both social and scientific aspects as well as showing that teachers did not focus on SSI’s discursive nature in their lesson plans. 

The study notes: “In order to effectively plan and teach SSI lessons, teachers must develop pedagogical content knowledge specific to unpacking elements of SSI such as identifying an issue that is debatable and relevant to students‟ lives, employing reflective scientific skepticism, and evaluating multiple perspectives.”