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COMMUNITY:
Peer-reviewed article

Education, communication, and science in the public sphere

January 24, 2015 | Media and Technology, Public Programs, Informal/Formal Connections
In the 1920s, John Dewey and Walter Lippmann both wrote important books examining whether the public was capable of playing a constructive role in policy, particularly when specialized knowledge was involved. This essay uses the Lippmann–Dewey debate to identify new challenges for science education and to explore the relationship between science education and science communication. It argues that science education can help foster democracy in ways that embody Habermas' ideal of the public sphere, but only if we as a field pay more attention to (1) the non-scientific frames and narratives that people use to interpret news about science, (2) the “second shaping” of scientific facts by the media, and (3) emerging platforms for public engagement.

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    Author
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1002/tea.21192
    ISSN : 1098-2736
    Publication Name: Journal of Research in Science Teaching
    Volume: 52
    Number: 2
    Page Number: 145-163
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: General Public | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals | Scientists
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Broadcast Media | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media | Public Programs | Informal/Formal Connections

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