Fostering Deliberative Communication Using the Socio-Scientific Inquiry-Based Learning Framework

Abstract

In today's ever polarizing society, educating students into becoming active and critical citizens is more crucial than ever. One driving force behind the ongoing polarization is discussions surrounding Socio-scientific issues (SSI), stemming from complex societal challenges. Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) deepens the understanding of these issues, fostering critical thinking and scientific literacy among its students. This study explores to what degree the SSIBL approach provides a platform to foster secondary school students’ deliberative communication skills. Deliberative communication offers a pathway to not only understand SSI but also engage constructively with its diverse perspectives. SSIBL and deliberative communication form a symbiotic relationship that ensures SSIBL not only benefits from the application of deliberative communication but simultaneously serves as a platform for its cultivation. Phase 1 of this research analyzed two pre-existing SSIBL lesson series, which revealed limited fostering, and focus on deliberative communication. Based on these findings, and alongside literary research, phase 2 designed and implemented a new SSIBL lesson for 11 students. Results show improved understanding of SSI as well as enhanced deliberative communication skills. This study provides educational recommendations for effective SSIBL lesson design which implements and fosters deliberative communication. These recommendations include dialogue-centered exercises such as ‘arguments in motion’ and system mapping, facilitative teacher roles, Socratic dialogue help sheets, and worksheets with a core focus on deliberative communication techniques. This study further underscores the importance of effective communication within SSIBL lesson designs to equip students as engaged and critical citizens, capable of navigating through SSI, through deliberative dialogue.