An SSI-Based Instructional Unit to Enhance Primary Students’ Risk-Related Decision-Making
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22045237 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Miki Sakamoto (0009-0008-9152-1691, Kobe University, corresponding author), Etsuji Yamaguchi (0000-0001-5140-1136, Kobe University), Tomokazu Yamamoto (0000-0002-2300-3736, Hyogo University of Teacher Education), Motoaki Matano (Kobe University of Fashion and Design), Nobuko Ohmido (0000-0003-1496-6597, Kobe University), Rumiko Murayama (Kobe University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 143 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16010143 |
| OpenAlex | W7124754814 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
Socioscientific issues (SSIs) provide meaningful contexts for developing students’ competencies in scientific evaluation and decision-making. This study developed an SSI-based instructional unit to support primary school students in making decisions about genome-edited fish by considering risks and benefits and proposing risk mitigation. The study aimed to examine the unit’s effectiveness in improving students’ risk-related decision-making and their attitudes toward critical thinking and risk. Sixty-three fifth-grade students participated in an 18-lesson unit comprising two phases: information gathering and risk management practice. Students completed three decision-making tasks and a post-unit questionnaire on related attitudes. Written arguments were analysed using a rubric based on claims, risk knowledge, benefit knowledge, and risk mitigation. The results indicated that the unit improved the quality of students’ socioscientific arguments. By the final task, about 60% of arguments reached the highest level, demonstrating integration of risk knowledge and corresponding mitigation. However, students’ risk–benefit emphasis ratings showed that their decisions remained predominantly risk-focused, and questionnaire data revealed a persistent zero-risk mindset. These findings provide empirical evidence that an SSI-based unit incorporating risk management practice can foster primary students’ risk-related socioscientific decision-making. Further refinement is needed to shift students’ risk attitudes and support more balanced risk–benefit reasoning
Quality management · Risk assessment · Risk management · Rubric · Scientific evidence · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Evolution and Science Education · Science Education and Pedagogy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |