Contemporary Issues in Science and Technology Education

Ben Akpan, a professor of science education, is the Executive Director of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN). He served as President of the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) for 2011 – 2013 and currently serves on the Executive Committee of ICASE as the Chair of World Conferences Standing Committee. Ben’s areas of interest include chemistry, science education, environmental education, and support for science teacher associations. He is the editor of Science Education: A Global Perspective published by Springer; co-editor (with Keith S. Taber) of Science Education: An International Course Companion published by Sense Publishers; co-editor with Professor Teresa Kennedy of Science Education in Theory and Practice published by Springer; and the editor of Science Education: Visions of the Future published by Next Generation Education. Ben is a member of the Editorial Boards of the Australian Journal of Science and Technology (AJST), Journal of Contemporary Educational Research (JCER), Action Research and Innovation in Science Education (ARISE) Journal, and APEduC Journal on Research and Practices in Science Education, Mathematics, and Technology – an electronic scientific-didactic publication of the Portuguese Association of Science Education. He is a recipient of many commendations, prizes, and awards.  Bulent Cavas completed his Master and Ph.D studies in the field of science education at DokuzEylul University, Faculty of Education, Science Teacher Training Programme in 1998. He made his Post-Doc on Career Choices in STEM Fields in Middle East Technical University, Ankara-Turkey. He has over 150 national and international publications and written 10 books on science and science education. He is a member of CMAS-Science Committee. Currently, his research interests are Responsible Research and Innovation, Open Schooling, Inquiry Based Science Education, Virtual Reality in Science Education. He is Past - President of International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE - www.icaseonline.net). He works as an external expert for evaluating European Commission Projects in Brussels-Belgium. Currently, he is working as Head of Science Education Department - Professor of Science Education at Dokuz Eylul University (www.deu.edu.tr) in Izmir-Turkey.                                                                                                                                 Teresa Kennedy is a Professor of International STEM and Bilingual/ELL Education (2009 - present) and holds a joint appointment in the College of Education and Psychology School of Education and in the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler. She has over 30 years of experience in higher education and teaches undergraduate as well as master’s and doctoral level students. Her PreK-12 teaching experience includes eight years at the secondary level and seven years at the primary/middle school level in the U.S. states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Dr. Kennedy served as a Fulbright Scholar in Ecuador (1993), in Argentina (during the 2014-15 academic year focusing on engineering education), and in Hungary (2017), has traveled to over 100 countries through her work and educational experiences, and has taught language, science, and social studies lessons in classrooms around the world. Dr. Kennedy served as President of the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) from 2014-2017, and currently serves on the Executive Committee of ICASE as the Representative to UNESCO and as a member of the UNESCO NGO Liaison Committee. Prior to her position at UT Tyler, Dr. Kennedy worked at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) from 2001-2012, and as an Associate Research Professor of Education at the University of Idaho (1996-2003).

• Introduction – a reflection on contemporary issues in science and technology Education; Ben Akpan.- Section I, Philosophical foundations and curriculum development.- Nature of science and nature of technology; Steven S. Sexton.- Theory of evolution; Ben Akpan.- STEM education as a meta-discipline; Teresa Kennedy.- Curriculum development in science and technology education at international level; Declan Kennedy.- Assessment and evaluation in science and technology education; Bulent Çavaş, Pina Çavaş and Sengul Anagun.- Mathematics in the service of science and technology education; Ajeevsing Bholoa & Ajay Ramful.- Language in science and technology education; Metin Sardaq, Gokhan Kaya & Gultekin Cakmakci.- The real and virtual science laboratories; Shakeel Atchia & Anwar Rumjaun.- Section II, Sustainable development, technology and society.- Sustainable development goals and science and technology education; Teresa Kennedy.- In the beginning: Interpreting everyday science; Sue Dale Tunnicliffe.- Indigenous knowledge and science and technology education; Robby Zidny, Jesper Sjostrom and Ingo Eilks.- Public understanding of science and technology; Janchai Yingprayoon.- Section III, The learning sciences and 21st century skills.- Educational psychology; Keith Taber.- Science and technology teaching strategies; Cesar Mora.- Pedagogical content knowledge in science and technology education; Louise Lehane.- Stimulating students’ mechanistic reasoning in science and technology education through emerging technologies; Vickren Narrainsawmy and Fawzia Bibi Nerod.- Problem-solving in science and technology education; Bulent Çavaş.- Creativity and innovation in science and technology education; Mehmet Aydeniz.- Collaboration and communication in science and technology education; Michael Odell.