The search of scientific literacy

Recently, I discussed questioning skill and scientific literacy with my friends. It could be too easy to form questions. It may not help improving the skills by simply repeating the task. Learning by example is an easy approach but it still requires proper comparison. Teacher comment helps students to understand the underlying principle.

How can we formulate learning path on questioning skill?

The ultimate goal is to find the answer. A pool of organized questions may form a decision tree. It helps us to verify the sources and also to drill down reason of problem. It also determines the principles of design of experiment. Thus becomes the core of scientific literacy.

Literacy

Literacy means the ability to read and write in the past. This traditional idea has extended to other aspects or context.

For example, scientific literacy means the ability to understand scientific concept, evaluate scientific information, identify issues in scientific articles, search the answer to scientific questions, predict scientific phenomenon and estimate the impact to the society.

Information literacy means the ability to accesses information efficiently and effectively, evaluates information critically and competently, uses information accurately and creatively.

Media literacy means the ability to understand the nature and application of media, evaluate media information, search the answer to questions on media usage, predict the phenomenon in media usage and estimate the impact to human recognition.

Cultural literacy means the ability to understand the nature and history of culture, understand the meaning, origin and application of symbol, language and practice, search the answer to cultural issues, predict cultural phenomenon and estimate challenges to the exist culture.

We may generalize the concept of literacy into 4 main parts:

Recognition and taxonomy:

1. understand concept and mechanism
2. analyze materials critically

abductive reasoning:

1. evaluate problems and issues from articles
2. search the answer to questions

deductive reasoning:

1. predict the result
2. estimate the impact to the aspect concern and other aspects
3. evaluate proposed actions critically

inductive reasoning:

1. search and verify the principles and rules