Geology learning in East Timor: from the STS approach in secondary education

Abstract

The Science, Technology, and Society (STS) approach in science education is crucial for fostering a more critical and contextualized understanding of the role of science and technology in society. The aim of this study is to analyze the explicit STS approach in the official curricular materials for teaching Geology in the 10th grade of secondary education in East Timor. A documentary study and an exploratory analysis of the Geology textbook and its accompanying teacher's guide, developed as part of the General Secondary Education Restructuring Project in East Timor, were conducted. A research tool with 2 dimensions and 14 pre-tested indicators was applied, followed by a subsequent analysis concerning the STS approach. The results show that all indicators, except one, were covered in the student textbook. The teacher’s guide explicitly and implicitly presents the STS approach. It can be concluded that this study demonstrates that the STS framework is evident in the analyzed documents.