Social Issues: Science,Technology and Public Policy

Abstract

With the support of a grant from the National Science Foundation, the Social Science Education Consortium of Boulder, Colorado, is developing and field testing ten role-play learning activities designed to enhance students' understanding of public policy issues involving science and technology. The activities are designed for use in secondary-level (grades 10–12) natural science and social science courses.

This three-year project, entitled Creative Role-Playing Experiences in Science and Technology (CREST), is based on the belief that citizens require both an understanding of issues and decision-making skills in order to reach responsible public policy decisions.

This article presents a detailed rationale for the development of the project materials, outlines the phases of project development, and briefly discusses the content of one exemplar activity.

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References

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