Teaching Critical Thinking Through Socio-Scientific Issues

Critical thinking is a cornerstone of public education, yet it can often be difficult to foster in the classroom. In this session, Ian will share strategies for developing students’ critical thinking skills through the exploration of socio-scientific issues such as climate change, the transition to electric vehicles, and solar energy. He will also demonstrate engaging and practical ways to teach essential science skills—including graphing, dimensional analysis, and data interpretation—within these real-world contexts.