Socioscientific Issues and Multidisciplinarity in School Science Textbooks

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of the most prominent SSIs identified across the textbooks

Subject	Unit	SSI	Amount of space allocated
Biology	You and your genes	Reproductive genetic technology	12 pages	50% of unit
Physics	Radiation and life	Climate change and global warming	5 pages	21% of unit
Biology	Keeping healthy	Vaccines (flu and MMR)	4.5 pages	19% of unit
Biology	Biology across the ecosystem	DNA fingerprinting	4 pages	17% of unit
Chemistry	Air quality	Improving air quality	4 pages	17% of unit
Chemistry	Air quality	Air quality and affect on health	4 pages	17% of unit
Chemistry	Food matters	Intensive and organic farming	4 pages	17% of unit
Chemistry	Food matters	Food safety	4 pages	17% of unit
Physics	Radioactive materials	Nuclear and renewable energy	4 pages	17% of unit
Physics	Radiation and life	Safety of mobile phones	4 pages	17% of unit

Table 2. Key ideas in the medical and social models of disability

Medical model	Social model
Impairment defined as the condition an individual has (e.g. blindness and mental health conditions)	Impairment defined as the condition an individual has (e.g. blindness and mental health conditions)
Disability viewed as an individuals’ impairment prevents them from taking part in everyday activities	Disability viewed as barriers created by society prevent an individual from taking part in everyday activities
Disability is the consequences of having an impairment	Disability is the consequences of barriers in society
Disability viewed as a personal tragedy or problem	Disability viewed as a social and political problem