STSE content integration in Portuguese curricula and school manuals in the second cycle of basic education: what relation of continuity/ discontinuity?

Abstract

The challenge ahead for Science Education is the need to promote students’ scientific literacy. There needs to be greater contextualization in Education Sciences which is based on the assumption that learning should be integrated and provide the link between science, technology, society and environment. However, in order for teachers to consider and implement such approach in their classrooms, this must be clearly and explicitly contemplated in the documents regulating educational activity, notably in the Official Curricular Documents and science textbooks. Based on a primarily qualitative research, this study analyzes the science education focus on sciencetechnology-society-environment promoted by the Official Curricular Documents and interpreted by the Portuguese Science textbooks for the 2nd Cycle of Basic Education. Results indicate that the curricular guidelines of Official Documents are not consistent with the current recommendations on the science-technology-society-environment focus for Science Teaching. Results also show that textbooks’ interpretations on this perspective are, also, insufficient to promote students’ scientific literacy.