ERIC Number: EJ1136327
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2154-8455
EISSN: N/A
The Critical Reading of the Images Associated with Science-Related News Reports: Establishing a Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Framework
Jarman, Ruth; McClune, Billy; Pyle, Eric; Braband, Gangolf
International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, v2 n2 p103-129 2012
For the majority of adults, the media constitute their main source of information about science and science-related matters impacting on society. To help prepare young people to engage with science in the media, teachers are being exhorted to equip their students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to respond critically to science-related news reports. Typically, such reports comprise not only text, but also visual elements. These images are not simply adjuncts to the written word; they are integral to meaning-making. Though science teachers make considerable use of newspaper images, they tend to view these representations unproblematically, underestimating their potential ambiguity, complexity, and role in framing media messages. They rarely aim to develop students' ability to "read," critically, such graphics. Moreover, research into how this might be achieved is limited and, consequently, research-informed guidance which could support this instruction is lacking. This paper describes a study designed to formulate a framework for such teaching. Science communication scholars, science journalists and media educators with acknowledged relevant expertise were surveyed to ascertain what knowledge, skills, and attitudes they deemed useful to engagement with science-related news images. Their proposals were recast as learning intentions (instructional objectives), and science and English teachers collaborated to suggest which could be addressed with secondary school students and the age group best suited to their introduction. The outcome is an inventory of learning intentions on which teachers could draw to support their planning of instructional sequences aimed at developing students' criticality in respect of the totality of science news reports.
Descriptors: Critical Reading, Guidelines, Teaching Methods, Mass Media, Information Sources, Science Education, News Reporting, Educational Objectives, Secondary School Students, Knowledge Level, Scientific Research, Scientific Literacy, Informal Education, Science Instruction, Specialists
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Information Analyses
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A