STS Modules 1
STS Modules 1
Science, Technology
and Society
It is also anticipated that at the end of this module you will imbibe
the importance of science and technology in the preservation of the environment
and the development of the Filipino nation; examine shared concerns that make
up the good life in order to come up with innovative and creative solutions to
contemporary issues guided by ethical standards; and lastly, illustrate how the
social media and information age impact your life and the understanding of
climate change.
From the ancient past to the modern present, the significant contribution and
effects of science and technology to the society is traceable. As Russel (2016 ) said, we
are in the middle of race where we struggle between the advantages and disadvantages
brought about science. Look at the clothes that you are wearing. Think of the ways by
which you get your food. Look at your home. These things prove how science and
technology affects our lives. Science and technology are very important to humans. It
affects the way we live. Our lives are more comfortable because of electricity and
appliances that help us do our work.
Learning Outcomes:
➢
Identify the importance of studying science, technology, and society;
➢
Explain how science and technology relates to a problem of societal concern;
and
➢
Develop a deeper interest in the field of science, technology and society.
➢
Define and Analyze the process of Scientific Method, Scientific Processes,
and Scientific Traits and Values.
What is Science?
Science came from the Latin word “scientia” which means “knowledge”. Science has
traditionally been defined as an organized and systematized body of knowledge based on
facts. These facts are determined by an exact set of procedures popularly known as
scientific method.
G. Gore (1878) - science is the interpretation of nature and man is the interpreter.
A. Einstein (1940) - science is the attempts to make the chaotic diversity of our sense
experience correspond to a logically uniform system of thought.
Calleja (1987) – science is a scholarly activity whose province is the material world
including man, but excluding his non-biological activities.
Huxley (1974) – science is common sense…the necessary mode of working of the human
mind
Zimman (1976) – deplored that science is viewed as the product of the mind that tends
to ignore the body
Simpson (1974) – science is not a body of facts, not a method or a technique…science is,
or perhaps has, certainly a point of view, as systematic orientation, application to all
material aspects of our world, in everyone’s daily activities as well as in a laboratory.
Posadas (1982) – science is the dynamic cumulative system of verifiable concepts,
principles, methods, laws, theories and processes which seek to describe, understand
and predict natural phenomena.
Caoili (1968) – science is an activity concerned with the systematic understanding and
explanation of the laws of nature, centering on research toward discovery or production
of new knowledge as the end result.
Campbell (1974) – science is the study of those judgments concerning which universal
agreement can be obtained.
DEFINITIONS OF SCIENCE
1. SCIENCE IS A PROCESS
2. SCIENCE IS A PRODUCT
Science is our most effective way of understanding the natural world. All science
involves some form of observation or experiment, and some sort of theorizing about
how to explain the evidence collected. Clearly, science is a product of human
curiosity.
What is Technology?
DEFINITIONS OF TECHNOLOGY
2. TECHNOLOGY AS A PRODUCT
a. A system of know-how, skills, techniques and processes.
b. It is like a language, rituals, values, commerce and arts, it is an intrinsic part of a
cultural system and it both shapes and reflects the system values. c. It is the product of
the scientific concept.
d. The complex combination of knowledge, materials and methods.
e. Material products of human making or fabrication.
f. Total societal enterprise.
Technology is any activity and/or product thereof that tends to increase man’s
chances of survival.
Is technology a part of science? The little we understood about nature we were able to
use to develop technologies that enabled us to survive and progress; and to be the most
dominant animal species on earth. But technology is not
What is Society?
What is STS?
Importance of STS
Most people would agree that science and technology are of great
importance in the world today. It is equally clear that science can alter our entire
conception of ourselves and our place in the universe. The most famous instance of this
was the series of events known as the Scientific Revolution. During this turbulent time
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Galileo and other scientists began to argue
that the Earth was not at the center of the universe, but whirled on its own axis, and
orbited around the Sun.
1. A field of endeavor upon which a two-way interaction operates between science and
technology.
2. Interdependent and overlapping methods which employ both existing knowledge and
existing know-how.
3. A system of know-how, skills, techniques and processes which enable society to
produce, distribute, install, maintain or improve goods and services needed to satisfy
human needs.
4. Is an interdisciplinary field of study that seeks to explore and understand the many
ways that modern science and technology shape modern culture, values and
institutions, and how modern values shape science and technology.
1. Epistemological concerns. It cannot help us with questions about the God, the
ultimate Good, and Truth. It cannot deny nor confirm the existence of God, soul,
heaven and other uncertainties.
2. Metaphysical concerns. Immaterial and transcendental nature is beyond the grasp of
scientific inquiry. It cannot speak to issues of ultimate origin, meaning, or
morality.
3. Axiological concerns. It cannot answer questions about value.
4.Dependent on the values and personal beliefs of those who use it.
5. Use of natural resources that are being used in science and technology are limited
6. Data is limited to the physically observable.
7. Ultimately rest on past observations
8. Not all of its principles are applicable to different world phenomena.
9. Needs human intervention to carry out its functions properly
10. It can predict forces of nature but it cannot prevent the prevent the
prevalence/occurrence
11. Can not guarantee an ultimate solution to any specific problem.
12. Can not fully explain what is in the mind of a person.
There is a responsibility for all people to have some awareness of how science
and technology work. Science and technology are changing every aspect of our lives, all
the time. No one in the contemporary world is untouched, and the greater our
understanding of what is happening, the greater our ability to ensure that science and
technology are used in ways which benefit the human race, rather than leading to our
destruction.
Scientific method
- The prefix "super" means "above." So supernatural means "above (or beyond) the natural."
The toolbox of a scientist contains only the natural laws of the universe; supernatural
questions are outside their reach.
- Man has the inherent capacity to observe the things around him. Careful observation could
make one recognize that there is a problem or a phenomenon that is worthy of further
attention and study. After initial observations, details not previously observed can be
determined using instrumentation. Search and review of related literature (books, scientific
journals, online sources, etc.) should also be undertaken to learn more about the problem.
- In any experiment, we can really only test one thing at a time. So we try to control all the
variables except one that we will change.
- Independent variable = the variable that you change during the experiment
- Dependent variable = the variable that you observe changes in (depends on
the independent variable)
4. Experimentation
- Your experiment tests whether your hypothesis is true or false.
- It is important that the test is fair:
- You change ONLY ONE variable at a time, keeping all others the same (constant).
- You should repeat your experiment several times to make sure your results weren’t
just an accident.
- Good precision = at least 3 trials
1. J. Watt’s invention of the condensation steam engine that was a prime mover of
transport and industry, was made possible by the concept of latent heat discovery of
J. Black.
2. London’s synthetic dye industry came from the accidental of aniline dye magenta by W.
Perkins attempt to synthesize quinine.
3.Hermann von Helmholtz’s study on sound waves inspired A. Graham Bell to create the
telephone.
4. The electrical industry owes much to the works of H.C. Oersted on magnetic fields
produced by electric currents which was used by A. Volta who invented electrical batteries.
5. The dynamo, alternator and transformer were made based from the works of M.
Faraday on interrelated concepts of motion, magnetism and electricity.
Scientific Processes
Intellectual Honesty
- This attitude allows a scientist to recognize the work done by other scientists before
him. This attitude is also shown by reporting data truthfully.
Open Mindedness
- A scientist is open minded. Open-mindedness is an attitude that allows a scientist to
look at other possibilities.
- Evaluate, validate and accept other people’s idea towards a question.
Curiosity
- This attitude/quality-curiosity-enables a scientist to try to discover more about the
things around him.
Objectivity
- A scientist must be objective in declaring results of his/her experiments and Judgment is
based on observable phenomena and not influenced by emotions or personal prejudices
Precision
- A scientist must always consider the precision of his work if it forms a pattern or
repeatedly occurring in nature. Lack of precision to a work would mean inconsistency.
Objectivity
- The moral, social and personal responsibility and accountability of a scientist to all of
his works must be observed.
Activity 2
Scientific Method
5. What should be the new hypothesis and how would you test it?
Activity 3
Scientific Processes
Fill in the Blanks. Fill each Blank with the correct answer. Write your answer on the
blank provided.
We will often have questions after observing something. ___________ qualities is the first
step in science process. What details do I see? Can I smell it, touch it, hear it, or taste it?
Can I break it into parts? What is happening? “I noticed Ms. Vitti has a large, rough object
in her hand. It looks like it has sharp edges and I believe it’s a rock. I wonder, what will
happen if she throws it?”
Finding patterns is one way we organize our thinking. When we ____________ &
____________, we separate and put things together to understand how they relate to each
other. “That looks like a rock. I know that shape and size are hard and have sharp edges. I
could classify it with other rocks, other heavy objects, sharp objects…” (Knowing that it is
a fake sponge-rock, would you re-classify it?)
When we are surprised, it is because we had an idea that things were going to happen
differently. This is called _____________. You may have been surprised to
find out the object in Ms.Vitti’s hand was actually a sponge that looked like a rock. Why
were you surprised? Would you be surprised if we did it again? The way we think in
science is shaped by our everyday experiences.
When we are _______________, we find ways to share the steps we took in our process. We
learn from listening and answering questions. We find creative ways to explain our
thinking. At this science fair, you will have a chance to look at drawings, read writing, and
communicate to learn more about science process skills.
Assessment Task
Instructions: Create a 1-3 minute video showing a specific example of application in
scientific method (complete process). Post your video in your facebook account/youtube
account/google drive and submit your link in our google classroom.
Refferences
Kleinman, D, & Moore, K. (2014). Routledge handbook of science, technology, and society.
New York: Routledge.
Restivo, S. (2005). Science, technology, and society: An encyclopedia. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Department of science and technology studies, University of Vienna. (2015).
Science, technology & society: Knowledge in practice-short version
(Video File].
Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=DUT4]aZFGwv0