PROMOTING SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION UTM

Abstract

One important issue in the Science Education debate over the last century was how to prepare
a more relevant science education of the 21st Century that emphasizes on promoting scientific
literacy through a more meaningful science education program. In response to this call, a
general science education elective course code named MPS1163 Epistemological, Social and
Ethical Issues in Science and Technology was designed and implemented starting in Semester
2 Session 2009/2010. By the end of Semester 2 Session 2012/2013 the course has been running
for 7 semesters and had invited 128 postgraduate students from 7 different programs, including
a PhD program. A questionnaire was distributed to 26 course participants at the end of
semester 2 Session 2012/2013. The objective of the questionnaire was to seek their personal
assessment on their knowledge and understanding on the eleven course contents taken during
the whole semester. The results indicated that there was a mean increment of between 40- 50%
on their knowledge and understanding on the topics covered compared to their knowledge and
understanding before taking the course. The second part of the questionnaire consisted of six
items, using five point Likert Scale, seeking their suggestions for improving a more relevant
science education through the elective course. The response was commendable. Implications
of the study related to course contents and students opinions on the course contents and
suggestions for the improvement of the course are discussed in this paper.
Keywords: scientific literacy, technological literacy, general education elective course, a more
relevant science education.