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MSTM210
STEM and Active Citizenship
Nurturing global citizens is key to the creation of a clean, sustainable and just future world. A global citizenship approach enables learners to appreciate the relevance of STEM education and engagement and investigate how it can be used to answer vital questions to global challenges such as Climate Change, Deforestation, Veganism and more. This module will provide an opportunity for learners to critically engage with practical examples of active citizenship in issues such as health and disease, water and climate change.
By the end of this programme, participants should be able to:
a. Develop a research-based approach to the role of STEM and active citizenship in addressing global challenges;
b. Actively promote and discuss existing citizen science endeavours in the community;
c. Devise a social media campaign skeleton enabling others to develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary for active citizenship.
a. Appreciate the value of active citizenship and the roles of lobby groups and organisations;
b. Critique the meaning of freedom, including freedom of expression (free press and other media), and of Activism, including activism related to sustainability and that which promotes scientific reasoning;
c. Critique the meaning of Fact and Truth, including the differences between Falsifiable Truth, Truth, Subjective Opinion and Objective Reasoning;
d. Demonstrate the importance of biodiversity and respect to all living beings, including notions of conservation, veganism and sustainable living;
e. Outline the importance of citizen science and public engagement with research;
f. Demonstrate critical knowledge of what is meant by the idea of Citizen Science at classroom/ school / community levels and the related notions of civil rights, duties and the rule of law.
a. comprehensively use research-based information to identify the distinctive political, social and technical challenges and opportunities that confront us in an increasingly global society;
b. evaluate research knowledge to gain understanding of how power works and how individuals can learn to influence decisions and policies;
c. identify and analyse suitable and relevant local and international case-studies describing people’s active citizenship through science initiatives in schools, colleges and organisations;
d. Identify initiatives which promotes active citizenship whilst showcasing how STEM can assist in community challenges.
This programme adopts continuous and summative methods of assessment including assignments, online tasks, reflective journals, projects and video presentations. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures.
1. Bandura, A. (1986) Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
2. McKinley, D. C., Miller-Rushing, A. J., Ballard, H. L., Bonney, R., Brown, H., Cook-Patton, S. C., … & Ryan, S. F. (2017). Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection. Biological Conservation, 208, 15-28.Bonney, R., Phillips, T. B., Ballard, H. L., & Enck, J. W. (2016). Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?. Public Understanding of Science, 25(1), 2-16.Ceccaroni, L., & Piera, J. (Eds.). (2016). Analyzing the role of citizen science in modern research. IGI Global.
1. Árnason, V. (2013). Scientific citizenship in a democratic society. Public understanding of Science, 22(8), 927-940.
2. Varis, K., Jäppinen, I., Kärkkäinen, S., Keinonen, T., & Väyrynen, E. (2018). Promoting participation in society through Science Education. Sustainability, 10(10), 3412.
3. Árnason, V. (2013). Scientific citizenship in a democratic society. Public understanding of Science, 22(8), 927-940.
The Institute for Education is a Further and Higher Education Institution with Licence number 2016-006
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