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To cite this article: Leonard J. Waks (1992) The responsibility spiral: A curriculum framework for STS education, Theory Into
Practice, 31:1, 13-19, DOI: 10.1080/00405849209543519
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Leonard J. Waks
increasingly dominated by the impacts of sci- matter to broader considerations of science, tech-
ence and technology. Responsible citizens take nology, and society, which include a treatment of
responsibility for the impacts of science and personal and societal values/ethics.
technology on society. They (a) seek to under- The phases of the cycles that form the re-
stand how changing science and technology are sponsibility spiral derive directly from these cri-
affecting people in our society for good or ill, teria.
(b) actively think about and decide what is right
and best for society, and (c) make a commit- Phase I: Self-Understanding
ment to participate actively, both as individuals Criterion 1 of the S-STS Project states that
making personal decisions and as members of STS develops the learners' understanding of
society bringing their values to bear on collec- themselves as interdependent members of so-
tive decision making, to make a positive differ- ciety and of society as a responsible agent of
ence. The responsibility spiral is a framework to the ecosystem of nature. Breaking this into its
organize education to promote responsibility. component parts, the starting, point is the learn-
ers' understanding of themselves as individuals
Phases of the Responsibility Spiral and interdependent members of society. In our
In 1985 a national task force, composed of society, each learner is to be valued as a unique
K-12 teacher leaders in science, technology, individual, with values, talents, goals, and plans
social studies, and English education, and col- of his or her own. As a citizen each is guaran-
lege teachers representing several disciplines, teed basic liberties to live as he or she decides,
met at Pennsylvania State University under the and is responsible for his or her own life. This is
auspices of the Science through Science, Tech- fundamental to our way of life.
nology and Society (S-STS) Project to set forth But learners are not islands unto them-
a clear definition of science-technology-society selves. Because we share the planet earth as
education (S-STS Project, 1985). The task force our home, the well-being of one cannot be iso-
established seven criteria1 as essential to STS lated from that of the others. We are interde-
lessons, units, and curriculum materials: pendent. The learner is a responsible agent in
the capacity of citizen. The way we live a s a
1. Responsibility. The material develops learners' society affects the ecosystem, which sustains
understanding of themselves as interdependent
members of society and of society as a responsi- the basic needs of life, and we are to be held
ble agent within the ecosystem of nature. responsible for making these collective decisions
well, through the various decision-making and
2. Mutual influences of science, technology, and so-
ciety. The mutual influences of technology, sci- problem-solving processes of our democracy.
ence, and society on each other are clearly pre- Activities of self-understanding. In the first
sented. phase, the learners' work consists of identifying
3. Relation to social issues. The relations of techno- their own images of the good life for self, soci-
logical or scientific developments to societally rel- ety, and the world community. What are their
Volume XXXI, Number 1 15
ideals, what do they think it would take to move two relationships are (a) the impacts of science
these toward realization? What role do they wish on society and (b) the impacts of technology on
to play themselves? society (signified by the heavy black arrows).
Learners also explore what they have The STS learner, in the course of deepening
learned about the technology-related issues of self-understanding and developing attitudes of
the time, or that are forecast for the future. What responsibility, is to attend to these relations in
are their feelings? Are they frightened about the issue after issue, forming a clear conceptual
bomb, pollution, running out of resources, pros- pattern through repetition.
pects of dehumanized employment? Learners Scientific and technological institutions, and
explore the sources of their convictions. the new discoveries and innovations emanating
Responsibility sets the context for the work from them, have complex effects. They secure
at this and every other phase of the cycle; the the needs of some while harming others. They
work is never merely academic. Learners are bring about changes that some view a s positive
never mere spectators; they are encouraged to and others as negative. They create new op-
enter the world with a responsibility-oriented portunities for some but destroy opportunities
for others. Investigations are intended to clarify
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enough. It is insufficient for students to be led (phase five). The responsibility spiral distinguish-
through a "decision" or even an "action" on is- es these five phases in order to focus needed
sues identified in curriculum units. The units pro- attention on each in curriculum planning.
vide "illustrative cases" and the learners must
be assisted in venturing out from these cases, 3. The STS curriculum as a whole is ana-
seeking patterns, hazarding generalizations, con- lyzed and, when necessary, reorganized to
sidering principles, forming a personal stand- assure proper balance for and sequencing
point from which new technology-dominated of the five phases of the responsibility cycle.
issues can be identified, investigated, assessed,
and addressed through various available social There are better and worse contexts for the
and political processes. work at each phase of the cycle. Self-under-
standing work requires different conditions than
Guidelines for Implementation systematic reflection or action. At each level of
The four guidelines that follow are intended education, the spiral framework brings into fo-
to assist teachers and curriculum developers in cus how each phase is addressed. It does not
implementing the spiral model. They focus on assert that every STS unit, regardless of topic
the goal of STS teaching, the components of or length, must provide an equal share of work
the STS curriculum, the STS curriculum as a at each phase. But it does assert that there
whole, and the linkages of STS with other cur- must be balanced and appropriate attention to
riculum dimensions. each over the course of the STS units across
the curriculum and at each educational level.
1. The STS curriculum is focused on re-
sponsibility: It begins and ends with the 4. The responsibility spiral is the "inner
learner as a responsible individual and as a core" of STS education. It is surrounded by
responsible member of society. the rest of the curriculum, which may be
Learners are active, need-motivated, goal- linked to the core in creative ways.
directed people. The time and energy they allo- STS will be implemented in both free-stand-
cate to learning and the learning activities they ing STS courses and as components in (disci-
engage in (or fail to engage in) stem from their pline based) science and social studies educa-
short- and long-term goals, whether conscious tion. The articulation between STS and the rest
or unconscious, wise or reckless. of the curriculum may be strong or weak; the
This is especially true when we turn to learn- curriculum components may be mutually rein-
ing related to the formation of values and espe- forcing or at odds with each other. Opportuni-
cially those that comprise responsibility. Each ties always exist for strengthening connections,
cycle-unit starts with a dialogue with the learn- making STS and discipline based learning mu-
er, exploring growing concerns, a maturing will- tually reinforcing. The STS cycle-units provide
ingness to try on new responsibilities. It ends both the core of STS learning and the connect-
with further dialogue, to discover areas where ing points for academic curriculum content.
18 Theory Into Practice
Conclusion tions between cognitive learning and practical
The ultimate challenge of responsibility ed- (action-directed) aims in order to promote a new,
ucation is not merely to change curriculum con- sustainable society. This will entail a thorough
tent. Rather, it is to transform all existing edu- réévaluation of all standard routines of instruc-
cational structures to promote global responsi- tion and evaluation. The responsibility spiral pro-
bility as a core organizing value. vides a framework for STS learning during this
Mass education as we know it is a new period of réévaluation.
cultural form, providing for the socialization of
competence, attitudes, and values for life in in- Note
dustrial society. The goals of mass education 1. The seven unordered criteria of the S-STS Project
during the last 100 years have been shaped by have been renumbered here to clarify their connec-
the industrial division of labor and the material tions to the responsibility spiral.
values of the industrial era. Children and youth
have learned in schools to adjust their percep- References
Biological Science Curriculum Study. (1983). Inno-
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