Science as a Human Endeavour

Simone Burzacott-Gorman, Wilderness School, South Australia

Students will use the CSIRO RV Investigator website and the Educator on Board Blog as a spring board for finding a contemporary biological link to society:

• RV Investigator
• https://research.csiro.au/educator-on-board/ 

Students will need to select and explore a recent discovery, innovation, issue or advancement on RV Investigator. They will analyse and synthesise information from a range of sources to explain the science relevant to the focus of their investigation, show its connections to science as a human endeavour and develop and justify their own conclusions. They will present their research findings amd conclusions for example, as a scientific journal which must include the use of scientific terminology.

Student research findings and outcome should have a focus on at least two of the key concepts of Science as a Human Endeavour from the SACE Biology Curriculum outline.

Senior Biology (Year 10, 11, and 12)

South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) - Stage 1

SACE - Biology

• Science is a global enterprise that relies on clear communication, international conventions, peer review and reproducibility (ACSBL008)
• Development of complex models and/or theories often requires a wide range of evidence from multiple individuals and across disciplines (ACSBL009)
• Advances in science understanding in one field can influence other areas of science, technology, and engineering (ACSBL010)
• The use of scientific knowledge is influenced by social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations (ACSBL011)
• The use of scientific knowledge may have beneficial and/or harmful and/or unintended consequences (ACSBL012)
• Scientific knowledge can enable scientists to offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions (ACSBL013)
• Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL014)
• ICT and other technologies have dramatically increased the size, accuracy and geographic and temporal scope of data sets with which scientists work (ACSBL068
• Models and theories are contested and refined or replaced when new evidence challenges them, or when a new model or theory has greater explanatory power (ASCBL069)
• The acceptance of scientific knowledge can be influenced by the social, economic and cultural context in which it is considered (ASCBL070)
• People can use scientific knowledge to inform the monitoring assessment and evaluation of risk (ASCBL071)
• Science can be limited in its ability to provide definitive answers to public debate; there may be insufficient reliable data available, or interpretation of the data may be open to question (ACSBL072)
• International collaboration is often required when investing in large-scale science projects or addressing issues for the Asia-Pacific region (ACSBL073)
• Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL074)

Student research will enable them to make connections between science and society by exploring the Science as a Human Endeavour concepts.

Communication and Collaboration

• Science is a global enterprise that relies on clear communication, international conventions, and review and verification of results
• International collaboration is often required in scientific investigation

Development

• Development of complex scientific models and/or theories often requires a wide range of evidence from many sources and across disciplines
• New technologies improve the efficiency of scientific procedures and data collection and analysis. This can reveal new evidence that may modify or replace models, theories and processes

Influence

• Advances in scientific understanding in one field can influence and be influenced by other areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
• The acceptance and use of scientific knowledge can be influenced by social, cultural and ethical considerations

Application and Limitation

• Scientific knowledge, understanding and inquiry can enable scientists to develop solutions, make discoveries, design action for sustainability, evaluate economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts, offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions
• The use of scientific knowledge may have beneficial or unexpected consequences; this requires monitoring, assessment and evaluation of risk and provides opportunities for innovation
• Science informs public debate and is in turn influenced by public debate; at times, there may be complex, unanticipated variables or insufficient data that may limit possible conclusions

Students will be able to access contemporary scientific writing and identify links between science and society.

Students may choose to present their research findings as either an article in a scientific journal, as a written report providing an expert's point of view, an analysis of a new development in a field or a concern about a development that has economic, social, environmental or political implications on any aspect related to any topic Biology science understanding.

Formative practice highlighting an article to find evidence of Science as a Human Endeavour concepts is helpful. If students use 4 different coloured highlighters and assign a colour to each of the Science as a Human Endeavour concepts it helps them to readily identify links between science and society. Rubric attached for assessment based on SACE curriculum.

On-Board teacher blogs are an important electronic resource for this task

• Educator on Board the RV Investigator