CASSIS · Communication About SocioScientific Issues (CASSIS)

Communication About SocioScientific Issues (CASSIS)

The CASSIS Project January 2014 - December 2017 CASSIS (Communciation about SocioScientific Issues) was a four year research project, which fostered collaboration between researchers from four universities, about the issue of pest control when it intersects with agriculture. Because the universities were based in United Kingdom, France and New Zealand the pests were readily identified as the badger (UK), the wolf (France) and the possum (NZ) respectively. Methods of pest control provided contentious contexts for young people to discuss these issues and the research teams were able to develop common strategies for collecting and analysing their opinions. During the four years, there were a series of project meetings: two in Southampton, two in London, two in Toulouse and three in Auckland. Key achievements of the project have been to: • Develop conceptual and theoretical underpinnings for a revamped and broadened view of SSIs that acknowledge SAQs (Socially Acute Questions). • Develop a common methodological framework to collect and analyse data from Europe and New Zealand that will provide an international data source for extensive analysis. • Inform the communication model with the data obtained from this on-going analysis • Develop and trial pedagogical communicative strategies to support constructive communication about this broader view of SSIs. • Set up online dissemination with space for future growth Other important features of CASSIS that have made the project so successful are: 1. Support for early researchers This team of experienced and early researchers was focussed on developing a supportive research group that used the strengths of the experienced researchers and the energy and enthusiasm for this area of research that all of the CASSIS team identified. There was an established procedure at every meeting where the postgraduate students presented the next stage of their research for critique. The CASSIS team were able to carry out analysis of data within mixed international and varying levels of research experience, and jointly present their findings at major international science education research conferences (e.g. ESERA 2017 in Dublin, Ireland and ERIDOB 2018 in Zaragoza, Spain). The researchers have benefitted from exposure to and discussion about theoretical frameworks for new avenues of analysis, for example Latour’s Actor-Network Theory and Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action. 2. International recognition of the CASSIS group’s research All members of the team have had an opportunity to present at national and international conferences. This opportunity has enabled all members of each national group to present their research within a symposium where an appointment of an discussant has provided the group with feedback and direction for further research. Consequently the project participants’ research has been recognised internationally in Finland (ESERA 2015) and Dublin (ESERA 2017); in Atlanta (NARST 2018) and in Australia (ASERA 2016, 2017). There are two different sites available to disseminate information about the CASSIs research. A website has been developed and is visible at the Southampton University web page. http://blog.soton.ac.uk/mshe/projects/cassis and a newsletter http://blog.soton.ac.uk/mshe/files/2014/11/newsletter.pdf. Another website has been developed by the French team and there are plans for it to be translated into English. http://qsv.ensfea.fr/les-projets-de-recherche/cassis/ The publications below are directly concerned with CASSIS findings have been published internationally, and more papers are being written. • France, B., Birdsall, S., Simonneaux, L. (2017). Analysing the multiplicity of voices in the agora: Using Actor-Network Theory to unravel a complex issue. International Journal of Science Education, Part B, 323-340. Received 08 Dec 2015, Accepted 11 Jun 2017, Published online: 07 Jul 2017https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2017.1342285 We have had notification that it will be published in Part B Issue 4. • Birdsall, S. & France, B. (2017). Lifting the cover: Developing an analytical tool to unravel environmental education resources. Environmental Education Research, pp.1-19. Received 28 Apr 2017, Accepted 06 Oct 2017, Published online: 31 Oct 2017 https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2017.1393046 • France, B. & Birdsall, S. (2015). Socially acute questions: a framework for a 21st century science curriculum. In J. Morgan (Ed.), The 21st Century Curriculum? (pp.31-47). Auckland, NZ: Edify.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union