Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Teaching Journalistic Texts in Science Classes: the Importance of Media Literacy

  • Published:
Journal of Science Education and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study employs a single framework for investigating both environmental journalistic texts published on news websites, and science teachers’ choices of such texts for their teaching. We analyzed 188 environmental items published during 2 months in seven news websites to determine popularity of topics. Then, 64 science junior high school teachers responded to a closed questionnaire to identify their preferred topics for using in the classroom and patterns of using environmental news items. In a second, open-ended questionnaire, responded by 50 teachers, we investigated the teachers’ media literacy in terms of identifying text types and writers of environmental news items. Good alignment was found between the published topics on the websites and teachers’ choices, with somewhat different distribution of topics, which could be explained by curriculum requirements. Teachers’ identification of text types and writer types was inaccurate, which implied that their media literacy is inadequate. We argue that media literacy is required for effective use of journalistic texts in science teaching.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aikenhead, G. S. (2005). Science education for everyday life: Evidence-based practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Badenschier, F. & Wormer, H. (2012). Issue selection in science journalism: towards a special theory of news values for science news? In Rödder, S., Franze, M., & Weingart, P. (eds). The sciences' media connection – Public communication & its repercussions (pp. 59–85). Sociology of the Sciences Yearbook 28 Netherland: Springer Science + Business Media B.V.

  • Baram-Tsabari, A., & Osborne, J. (2015). Editorial: bridging science education & science communication research. J Res Sci Teach, 52(2), 135–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botkin, D.B., Keller, E.A., & Rosenthal, D.B. (2012) Environmental science: Earth as a living planet, 8th edition, Wiley.

  • Brossard, D. (2013). New media landscapes and the science information consumer. PNAS, 110(3), www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1212744110

  • Brunfiel, B. (2009). Supplanting the old media? Nature, 458, 274–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bubela, T., Nisbet, M. C., Borchelt, R., Brunger, F., Critchley, C., Einsiedel, E., et al. (2009). Science communication reconsidered. Nat Biotechnol, 27(6), 514–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bybee, R. Y. (1993). Reforming science education, social perspectives & personal reflections. New York: Teachers College.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeBoer, G. E. (2000). Science literacy: another look at its historical & contemporary meanings & its relationship to science education reform. J Res Sci Teach, 37, 582–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dimopoulos, K., & Koulaidis, V. (2003). Science and technology education for citizenship: the potential role of the press. Sci Educ, 87(2), 241–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fahy, D., & Nisbet, M. C. (2011). The science journalist online: shifting roles & emerging practices. Journalism, 12(7), 778–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein, N. W. (2015). Communication & science in the public sphere. J Res Sci Teach, 52(2), 145–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein, N. W., Allen, S., & Jenkins, E. (2013). Outside the pipeline: reimagining science education for nonscientists. Science, 340(6130), 314–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, R. (2011) Digital and media literacy: connecting culture & classroom. Corwin Press.

  • Hobbs, R., & Jensen, A. (2013). The past, present, and future of media literacy Education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 1(1), 1–11. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/vol1/iss1/1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodson, D. (1998). Teaching & learning science: towards a personalized approach. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodson, D. (2003). Time for action: science education for an alternative future. Int J Sci Educ, 25(6), 5–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodson, D. (2013). Don’t be nervous, don’t be flustered, don’t be scared. Be prepared. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics & Technology Education, 13, 313–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarman, R., & McClune, B. (2002). A survey of the use of newspapers in science instruction by secondary teachers in Northern Ireland. Int J Sci Educ, 24(10), 997–1020.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klosterman, M. L., Sadler, T. D., & Brown, J. (2012). Science teachers’ use of mass media to address socio-scientific & sustainability issues. Res Sci Educ, 42(1), 51–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolstø, S. D. (2001). Scientific literacy for citizenship: tools for dealing with the science dimension of controversial socioscientific issues. Sci Educ, 85(3), 291–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2007). The elements of journalism: what newspeople should know and the public should expect. New York: Three Rivers Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewenstein, B. V. (2015). Identifying what matters: science education, science communication, & democracy. J Res Sci Teach, 52(2), 253–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClune, B., & Jarman, R. (2010). Critical reading of science-based news reports: establishing a knowledge, skills and attitudes framework. International Journal of Science Education, 32(6), 727–752.

  • McCombs, M., & Shaw, D. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36, 176–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCombs, M., & Shaw, D. (1993). The evolution of agenda-setting research: twenty-five years in the marketplace of ideas. Journal of Communication, 43(2), 58–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, M. (2010). The rise of the knowledge broke. Science Communication, 32(1), 118–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe, M., & Grace, M. (2003). Science education for citizenship: T=teaching socio-scientific issues. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rennie, L. J. (2014). Teaching science outside of school (pp. 120–144). In N. G. Lederman & S. K. Abell (Eds.), Handbook of research on science education. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rensberger, B. (2009). Science journalism: too close for comfort. Nature, 459, 1055–1056.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, D. A., & Bybee, R. W. (2014). Scientific literacy, science literacy, & science education (pp. 545–558). In N. Lederman & S. K. Abell (Eds.), H&book of research on science education (Vol. II). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadler, T. D. (2009). Situated learning in science education: socio‐scientific issues as contexts for practice. Studies in Science Education, 45(1), 1–42.

  • Sadler, T. D. (2011). Situating socio-scientific issues in classrooms as a means of achieving the goals of science education. In T. D. Sadler (Ed.), Socio-scientific issues in the classroom. New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Secko, D. M., Amend, E., & Friday, T. (2013). Four models of science journalism: a synthesis & practical assessment. Journal Pract, 7(1), 62–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shoemaker, P. J. (1991). Gatekeeping. Thous & Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simonneaux, L. (2013). Questions socialement vives & socio-scientific issues: new trends of research to meet the training needs of postmodern society (pp. 37-54). In C. Bruguière, A. Tiberghien, & P. Clément (Eds.), Topics & trends in current science education. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, J., & Thomas, J. (1999). Science education for the public understanding of science. Stud Sci Educ, 33, 61–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tal, T., & Kedmi, Y. (2006). Teaching socioscientific issues: classroom culture and students’ performances. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1, 615–644.

  • Tal, T., Kali, Y., Magid, S., & Madhok, J. J. (2011). Enhancing the authenticity of a Web-based module for teaching simple inheritance. In T. D. Sadler (Ed.), Socio-scientific issues in the classroom (pp. 11–38). Netherlands: Springer.

  • Trench, B. (2007). How the Internet changed science journalism (pp. 133–141). In M. Bauer & M. Bucchi (Eds.), Journalism, Science & Society: Science communication: Between News & Public Relations. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellington, J. (1991). Newspaper science, school science: friends or enemies? Int J Sci Educ, 13(4), 363–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, D. M. (1950). The “gate keeper”: a case study in the selection of news. Journal Q, 27, 383–390.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Academic College of Yezreel Valley, Emek Yezreel, Israel

    Avshalom Ginosar

  2. Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Tali Tal

Authors
  1. Avshalom Ginosar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tali Tal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tali Tal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ginosar, A., Tal, T. Teaching Journalistic Texts in Science Classes: the Importance of Media Literacy. J Sci Educ Technol 27, 205–214 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-017-9718-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-017-9718-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation