Science education in pandemic times: what can we learn from COVID-19 on science technology and risk society

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic raises reflection on the new roles of science education in citizen education in a world characterized by civilization risks, derived from the socioeconomic development. This specific type of risk is treated as manufactured risk as proposed by the sociologist Ulrich Beck. In this work, we report a document analysis starting from Beck's risk society theory, followed by notions of reflexive modernity, risk perception and the Cynefin decision making model for complex problems. COVID-19 pandemic is characterized as a manufactured risk and we present features of it. We state that students are unable to deal with manufactured risk because of the type of problems they are usually prepared to solve at school and the limited risk perception they have. In order to acquire a better science education, we propose the integration of wicked problems in science programs alongside the use of a multidimensional schema, so-called amplified risk perception space, a tool to locate students' risk perception. We hope to contribute to prepare citizens for a world of global and complex events, such as the current pandemic.

A critical perspective on pandemics and epidemics: building a bridge between public health and science education

“…The configuration of the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic has completely altered the dynamics of the social organization and its relationships, and as part of this, has caused the schools' in-person activity to stop, and its operations have had to make an abrupt move to the remote dimension. In the framework of these unforeseen transformations, the links between education and society have come to light, and it has become more than apparent that the need to reflect and to formulate proposals for understanding and explanation of these links should always be foregrounded (Pietrocola et al, 2020;Plá, 2020).…”

Novel coronavirus (COVID-2019) pandemic: Common challenges and response from higher education providers

“…Scientists have foreseen the necessity of long-term plans in all aspects to mitigate the worldwide pandemic. It has impacted both local and international degree programmes, research, recruitments, funding, and many more activities (Bolton, 2020;Pietrocola, 2020). The UNESCO Director-General has stated: "We are entering uncharted territory and working with countries to find hi-tech, low-tech and no-tech solutions to assure the continuity of learning" (UNESCO & IESALC, 2020).…”