Is the Earth Crying Wolf? Exploring Knowledge Source and Certainty in High School Students’ Analysis of Global Warming News

The marked contrast between the scientific consensus on global warming and public beliefs indicates a need to research how high schoolers, as future citizens, engage with make meaning from news articles such topics. In case of socioscientific issues (SSIs) warming, students’ acquisition knowledge is mediated by their epistemic understandings nature science (NOS) use informal reasoning in evaluating claims, evidence, sources. This exploratory qualitative study examined twelve U.S. school understandings, opinions, concerning knowledge. Researchers microgenetic changes students discussed during semi-structured interviews close reading texts. Although results showed that most could articulate working concept follow-up questions, subset offered personal opinions differed or contradicted previously stated understandings. Meanwhile, who consistent often argued dangers were exaggerated politicians scientists wished profit issue. suggests for more explicit focus NOS literacy curricula, well further into interplay negotiate diverse sources SSI knowledge—from classroom media life.