Building Bridges between Biotech and Society through STSE Education

Abstract

Science and technology are developing at a very high rate of speed both in basic research and applied technology. New technologies continue to expand their important role in Western and other societies. We review here the most relevant advances in modern biotechnology, considering the new challenges that this technology poses to the 21st century society.

As science and new technologies continue to expand their important role in modern societies there is an obvious need for well-informed citizens. Scientific literate citizens are people who have the skills of critical discrimination, the abilities and the desire to take part in decisions about scientific issues that affects their daily lives. Thus nowadays, science education should become a bridge between science itself, technology, and the social and environmental contexts in which both science and technology operate. This paper deals with the need of developing a 'scientific literacy' during the formative stages of students and points out educational views, approaches and orientations to achieve this shift of the educational paradigms, to reach literate citizens that make informed decisions to link science, technology, environment and society.