Internally funded project
Start date : 01.01.2016
Little is known about how middle school students problematize socio-scientific issues (SSIs),
particularly contemporary energy challenges. To address this need, we developed and
implemented an instructional module focused on a local wind energy issue and conducted
research to explore how students frame, reason, and make decisions about the issue using
Construal Level Theory (CLT). Results from analysis of student artifacts (n = 116) and student
interviews (n = 16) suggest concrete thinkers have negative perceptions, whereas abstract
thinkers have positive perceptions. This study’s findings have important implications for the
design of SSI-based science curriculum and instruction.