STS

Chapter 1-2

STS stands for science, technology, and society. It is an interdisciplinary field of

academic teaching and research, with elements of a social movement, having as its primary
focus the explication and analysis of science and technology as complex social constructs
with attendant societal influences entailing myriad epistemological, political, political, and
ethical question. (“Science, Technology, and Society Studies,” 2021).

Science is the study of the natural world by systematic methods of observation and
experiment. Technology is the application of science to practical purposes. Society uses
those technologies. That is how they are connected.

Inca Civilization

CULTURE
- “Navel of the world”
- Inca culture was a very advanced Civilization and was led by 13 Incas, who were in-
charge of governing a people divided into social classes.
TECHNOLOGY
- Made advanced scientific ideas considering limitation and old civilization
- Road paved with stone.
- Stone buildings that surmounted earthquake and other disaster.
- Irrigation system and technique in storing water.
- First suspension bridge.
- Quipu system of knotted ropes to keep records that only expert can interpret.
- Inca textile
ASTRONOMY
- Calendar with 12 months.

Aztec Civilization

CULTURE
- Mandatory education
- Invention of the canoe
TECHNOLOGY
- Chinampa. A form of technology used for agricultural farming where the land was
divided in rectangular areas surrounded by canals.
ASTRONOMY
- Aztec calendar

ASIA
CHINA

CULTURE
- It is one of the ancient civilizations with substantial contributions in many areas such
as in medicine, astronomy, science, mathematics, arts, philosophy, and music
 - Confucianism is an ethical philosophical system developed from the teaching of
early Chinese rage Confucius.

TECHNOLOGY
- Known for traditional medicines, discovered various medical properties and uses of
different plants and animals to cure human illness (practice of acupuncture).
- Known to develop many tools like compass, papermaking, gunpowder, printing tools,
iron plough, wheelbarrow, propeller, etc.
- different model of bridges, seismological detector and dry dock facilities
ASTRONOMY
- Chinese made a significant record on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses, comets
were recorded to understand better the heavenly bodies and their effect to the world.
- They also used lunar calendar and seismology so that they can prepare in times of
natural calamities.

INDIA

CULTURE
- Tried to standardize the measurement of length to a high degree of accuracy and
designed a ruler called Mohenjo-Daro (signify “the mound of the dead”. It was one of
the earliest cities in the world, one of the most advanced of its time, and one of the
first to be a major center of a Bronze Age culture, the Indus Valley Civilization)
- Aryabhata, was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical
age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. introduce number of trigonometric
functions, tables, techniques as well as algorithms of algebra.
- Brahmagupta (an Indian mathematician and astronomer) – was the first to use zero
as a number. suggested that gravity was a force of attraction.
TECHNOLOGY
- Manufacturing iron and metallurgical works, their iron steel is considered the best in
whole Roman Empire.
- India is also famous in medicine. (Ex. Ayurveda it is system of traditional medicine.)
ASTRONOMY
- India is also notable in astronomy, they developed theories on configuration of
universe, the spherical supporting earth, and the year of 360 days with 12 equal parts
to 30 days each.

Paradigm Shift
A paradigm shift is a phenomenon conceptualized and explored by Thomas Kuhn and is not
just a small modification to an existing scientific theory. Instead, it wholly changes the
scientific theory itself and radically modified how it seeks to understand reality.
Notable Paradigm Shifts in History
Copernican Revolution
For the first time in the 16th century, Copernicus bravely challenged the Ptolemaic
model of heavens – geocentric. It described the cosmos as having the Earth stationary at the
center of the universe, and everything revolves around it. Copernicus proposed a new
model, heliocentric, showing the sun as the center of the solar system. The Catholic church
was against him, so his ideas did not prosper at once. His books and he, himself, were
denied by society. Few centuries had passed before the world started to acknowledge his
greatness through Galileo Galilei – the man who picked up all Copernicus had left. Until
then, the sun stands out in the center of the solar system.

Darwinian Revolution
According to the bible, God had created the world and everything on it. All the
species of animals and plants now in existence were thought to have been created in their
final form at the Creation time. Then one mind questioned it all – Charles Darwin. Interest in
fossils fueled the increase in scientific awareness during his time. He focused on geological
change and presented a classic explanation of development over millions of years. He had
persuaded most people that “transmutation” was an acceptable scientific explanation of the
geological past. However, he had necessarily persuaded them that natural selection was the
cause of it.
Freudian Revolution
Freud’s revolution may be viewed as discovering a way of locating in the mind
objective entities that can be studied like material things. When Freud introduced the
unconscious realm concept, the mind’s mode of operation had been a subject of confusion
and debate in the scientific community. According to, Freud was mostly responsible for
elevating our interpretations of human behavior to the rational ideas of reason and science.
After years of intellectual history and proved to be amongst his most significant gifts to the
twentieth century. Unconsciousness is held responsible if the symptoms were not
consciously created with a physical basis.

Galleon Trade
- The galleon trade was supplied by merchants largely from port areas of Fujian who
traveled to Manila to sell the Spaniards spices, porcelain, ivory, processed silk cloth
and other valuable commodities.
- From 1565 to 1815, the galleon trade contributed to the change of culture, language
and environment for both Philippines and Mexico
- The Galleon Trade was a government monopoly. Only two galleons were used: One
sailed from Acapulco to Manila with some 500,000 pesos worth of goods, spending
120 days at sea; the other sailed from Manila to Acapulco with some 250, 000 pesos
worth of goods spending 90 days at sea.
- The country became one of the centers of global trade in sea – one of the most
developed places in the region.
- Superstitious beliefs and Catholic doctrines and practices halted the growth of
science in the country.

The American occupation modernized almost all aspects of life in the Philippines. They
established a government agency, the Bureau of Science, for the sole purpose of nurturing
development in the field of science and technology.
American Period – more influence in the development of science and technology

Health and Sanitation

● Filipinos learned the value of cleanliness, proper hygiene, and healthy practices
● Hospitals, clinics, and health centers were established including public hospitals for
lepers (The San Lazaro Hospital was established in 1577 during the Spanish colonial
period as a dispensary clinic in Intramuros by Fr. Juan Clemente, a Spanish priest. In
 1578, it became a hospital which catered from patients afflicted with leprosy and
other diseases.)

World War ll
- The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself from ruins of the war.
- The human spirit to survive and to rebuild the country maybe strong but the capacity
of the country to bring back what was destroyed was limited.

New Republic
- Focusing on using its limited resources in improving S&T capability.
- Use of overseas Development Allocation to improve scientific productivity and
technological capability.
- Human resource development
- Development of S & T in the Philippines
- Internal Influences – survival, culture, and economic activities
- External influences – foreign colonizers, traders with foreign cultures, and
international economic demands.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES on SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

- Introduced and implemented programs, projects and policies to boost science and
technology
- GOAL: prepare the whole country and its people to meet the demands of a
technologically driven world and capacitate the people to live in a world driven by
science.
- In response to the ASEAN 2015 Agenda, the government, particularly the DOST, has
sought the expertise of the NRCP (National Research Council of the Philippines)
to consult various sectors in the society to study how the Philippines can prepare
itself in meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals.

● The NRCP clustered these policies into four:

1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and Governance
- Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education without adding to the curriculum
- Emphasizing teaching in the mother tongue
- Developing school infrastructure and providing for ICT broadband
- Local food security

2. Physics, Engineering, and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and
Mathematics
- Emphasizing degrees, licenses, and employment opportunities
- Outright grants for peer monitoring
- Review of RA 9184
- Harnessing science and technology as an independent mover of development

3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences

- Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firms with ASEAN-harmonized standards
by full implementation of the FDA
 - Creating and education council dedicated to standardization of pharmaceutical
services and care
- Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct evidence-based research as pool of
information
- Allocating 2% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to research
- Legislating a law supporting human genome projects

4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry

- Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full implementation of existing laws
- Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN countries
- Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous people’s conservation
- Formulation of common food and safety standard

Importance of science education in basic and tertiary education

Science education aims to increase people’s understanding of science and

construction of knowledge as well as to promote scientific literacy and responsible
citizenship. We can use science communication to increase science-related knowledge
particularly among adults.

The overall goal of basic science education is to teach students to: Use and interpret
science to explain the world around them. Evaluate and understand scientific theories and
evidence. Investigate and generate scientific explanations.

Science education in the tertiary level focuses on the preparation of science

teachers, scientist, engineers, and other professional in various science-related fields such
as engineering, agriculture medicine, and health sciences.

Clark Hubler – a science educator of Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts and

Fulbright fellow in the Philippines in 1963-1964, noted some salient characteristics of
science education in the country – language problems
- 3 languages had to be learned by the students – Filipino, English, Spanish
- 4 languages for Tagalog provinces – local dialect, Filipino, English, Spanish
- 5 languages for those not spoken local dialect in their home.
- He cited that the ratio of books is 1:4 in Manila public schools and 1:10 in the rest of
the country.

The BSCS (Biological Science Curriculum Study) Adaptation Project

- The secretary of Education had earlier set up a National Committee in Science
Education to formulate objectives for teaching of science at the three instructional level and
recommended action that would upgrade the teaching of science.
a. Subject matter - competence of teachers
b. The curriculum materials
c. Laboratory equipment and science facilities in schools
Harry Case - head of the Ford Foundation; recommended the Philippines educational
leaders for the remarkable degree of cooperation in the establishment of the Science
Teaching Center at the University of the Philippines

R.A 5506 - an Act establishing Science Education Center (SEC) as a permanent unit of the
University of the Philippines. This act earns marked 250,000 pesos annual from the national
especial science fund for the support of the center.

Philippine Association of Science Teachers (PAST) – held a conference in 1960, it was a

review of the status of science teaching in the Philippines suggestions and
recommendations for improving various aspects of science education were made.
- The second biennial conventions focused on improving the teaching of the science
through developing the skills inquiry and creative thinking.

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – it was part of the national project of SEP
- MAT scholarships were granted to institutions rather to individuals.
- Its objectives were to develop within each institution a corps of science educators
committed to the improvement of science teacher training programs at the undergraduate,
graduate and in-service.
SEP effort to improve science education in the county:
1. Dissemination of improved curricula, teaching techniques and approaches in science
and mathematics on the basic levels of education through the introduction of new curriculum
and application of new teaching technique and approaches by the returned MAT trainees
and teachers that they teach.
2. Quality science and math education programs in the recipient-sponsor institutions
through new and improved course offerings and a generally improved teacher education
program.

Bulletin No. 27 s. 1953 - issued by the Bureau of Public Schools to assist teachers do
science activities with their pupils.
- Strengthen curriculum development efforts
- laboratories establish instead of one center General Office
- Branches centers were established in the Philippine Normal School and 8 public
normal schools (Iloilo, Cebu, Albay, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Bukidnon, Zamboanga, and
Leyte.

Indigenous Knowledge
- Indigenous knowledge can be broadly defined as the knowledge that
an indigenous (local) community accumulates over generations of living in a
particular environment. Indigenous knowledge is the homegrown and
local knowledge – knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society.
- As part of the indigenous knowledge, the communities also maintain some cultural
beliefs that are useful and sacred to them. Some of the cultural beliefs are as follows:
1. The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.
2. The Earth is revered as “Mother Earth”. It is the origin of their identity as people.
3. All living and non-living things are interconnected and interdependent with each
other.
 4. Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land and other natural resources. They
have responsibility to preserve it.
5. Nature is a friend to human beings – it needs respect and proper care.

Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 1997 (IPRA) (RA 8371)

Indigenous Peoples Rights Act 1997 (Republic Act No. 8371 of 1997). An Act to
recognize, protect and promote
the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples, creating a National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples, establishing implementing mechanisms, appropriating
funds therefore, and for other purposes.
IPRA, passed 10 years later, provided that indigenous peoples had the following rights to
their ancestral domain: ... right to safe and clean air and water; right to claim parts of
reservations; and. right to resolve land conflicts in accordance with the customary laws of
the area where the land is located.
IPRA has provided as a safeguard the “free, prior and informed consent” instrument for
indigenous communities in order to ensure consultation before any major economic activity
is undertaken within the ancestral domains and ancestral lands.

Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines

Ati - The Ati are a Negrito ethnic group in the Visayas, the central portion of the Philippine
archipelago. They are genetically related to other Negrito ethnic groups in the Philippines
such as the Aeta of Luzon, the Batak of Palawan, the Agta of the Sierra Madres, and the
Mamanwa of Mindanao.
Badjao - Widely known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes Seas, the Badjao are
scattered along the coastal areas of Tawi Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal
municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in the ARMM.
Igorots - The Ibaloi (also Ibaloi, Ibaluy, Nabaloi, Inavidoy, Inibaloi, Ivadoy) and Kalanguya
(also Kallahan and Ikalahan) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines who live
mostly in the southern part of Benguet, located in the Cordillera of northern Luzon, and
Nueva Vizcaya in the Cagayan Valley region.
Ilongots - The Bugkalot (also Ilongot or Ibilao) are a tribe inhabiting the southern Sierra
Madre and Caraballo Mountains, on the east side of Luzon in the Philippines, primarily in the
provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija and along the mountain border between the
provinces of Quirino and Aurora.
Lumad - The Lumad tribes comprise about 13 ethnic groups which are the Blaan, Bukidnon,
Higaonon, Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manobo, Mansaka, Sangir, Subanen, Tagabawa,
Tagakaulo, Tasaday, and T'boli. Their tribe is generally known for tribal music produced by
musical instruments they've created.
Mangyan - Mangyan refers to the Philippine ethnic group living in Mindoro Island but some
can be found in the island of Tablas and Sibuyan in the province of Romblon as well as in
Albay, Negros and Palawan. The word Mangyan generally means man, woman or person
without any reference to any nationality.
Negritos of Luzon – also known as Aeta and other islands in the Philippines are a
population characterized by small size and African-like features, including dark skin and
curly hair.
Palawan Tribes - Palawan, the largest province in the Philippines, is home to several
indigenous ethnolinguistic groups namely, the Kagayanen, Tagbanwa, Palawano, Taaw't
Bato, Molbog, and Batak tribes. They live in remote villages in the mountains and coastal
areas.
Tumandok - The Suludnon, also known as the Tumandok, Panay-Bukidnon, or
Panayanon Sulud, are a culturally indigenous Visayan group of people who reside in the
Capiz-Lambunao mountainous area and the Antique-Iloilo mountain area of Panay in the
Visayan islands of the Philippines.

According to Johnston (2000), Indigenous beliefs also develop desirable values namely:
a Motivating attitudes
b. Cooperating attitudes
c. Practical attitudes
d. Reflective attitudes