The key driving force for the nature of science education is the need for students to acquire
social skills, supported by individual skills, thus enabling students (and later as adults – Roth
and Lee, 2004) to play a responsible role within society in terms of
(a) developing social values such that a person can act in a responsible manner within the
community, system, nation or, as in the school situation, at a smaller group level;
(b) being able to function within the world of work at whatever the skill or responsibility
level;
(c) possessing the conceptual background or skills of learning to learn to cope with a needto-
have, relevant public understanding of science and technology in a changing society.
These are the essence of enhancing true (Shamos, 1995) or multi-dimensional (Bybee, 1997)
scientific literacy.