Curriculum Emphases
"A curriculum emphasis is a coherent set of messages about science. … Such messages can be communicated both implicitly and explicitly. … The coherence and flow [of curriculum emphases] are matters of concern as much as the coherence and flow of the subject matter itself." (Douglas Roberts, 1982)
The concept of curriculum emphases suggests that the science, technology, society, and environment (S, T, S & E) goals for science education cannot be presented merely through features and margin notes. They must be presented as systematically and logically as any other expectation in the curriculum. These goals can be presented by declaring S, T, S & E curriculum emphases that are not exclusive but are an emphasis in a particular unit (or units) of study. For example, a science curriculum emphasis could be attached to a unit on chemical bonding in chemistry, whereas a technology curriculum emphasis could be applied to a unit on levers and forces in physics and a society & environment curriculum emphasis to a unit on ecology in biology (see Table 1).
Table 1: Distribution of STSE Curriculum Emphases
Unfortunately, we all know that this grid is not complete in most curricula. Even when it is more complete (as in the PanCanadian framework), the STSE goals of science education are not made explicit in the knowledge column of curricula. The STSE goals then, most often, become part of the hidden curriculum (rather than part of the assessed curriculum).
* A judgement of the quantity of each category typically presented in curricula and textbooks.
** Epistemology may be communicated as nature of science, of technology, of society, and of environment studies.
Some applications of curriculum emphases have restricted the components of full S, T, S & E curriculum emphases; e.g.,
science: nature of science
technology: science & technological interactions and skills
society and environment: society & environment issues
Regardless of the definitions and restrictions applied to curriculum emphases, the argument here is that curriculum developers and textbook authors and editors should present a consistent, systematic, coherent, and broad view of these curriculum emphases.
The concept of curriculum emphases was created by Dr. Douglas Roberts (Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary). His original research was published in 1982 in Science Education, Volume 66, Issue 2, pages 243-266. Subsequently, Dr. Roberts and his collaborators in 1995 evolved the concept and changed the name of curriculum emphases to companion meanings (to emphasize that there are always companion meanings about science, technology, society and environment being presented in a science course). Their argument/position is that the outcomes of the companion meanings should be explicit and tested.
See the supporting files below for teaching and learning about curriculum emphases.