Building from a Vision III science literacy perspective and critical theory framework, this research aims to further understanding the role of science education in shaping broader discourse around science, diversity, democracy, and ecojustice. Incorporating concepts such as Bildung, science capital, agency and emancipation, the project will primarily examine two arenas: the realization of the science curriculum in lower secondary science classrooms, and the discourses surrounding the purpose of science education and the identity of a science teacher promoted in teacher education programs.
The aim of the study is to access experienced science teachers' tacit knowledge about which didactical choices best offer students opportunities for Bildung in compulsory science education. Ultimately the project seeks to provide knowledge which could contribute to a restructuring of the science curriculum which some experts see as critical in order to prepare the next generation to face the technological and ecological challenges of the Anthropocene.