Science teachers' opinions on the integration of antibiotic usage and vaccination into the science curriculum

The aim of this study was to examine the role of antibiotic use and vaccination, identified as socioscientific issues, within the context of science education. While the population of the research consists of in-service science teachers, the sample comprises 49 in-service science teachers from diverse geographical locations. The selection of teachers was conducted using a convenient sampling method. Open-ended questions were utilized as a data collection tool to gather teachers' opinions on the integration of vaccination and antibiotic use in science education. The first part of the form focused on determining the demographic characteristics of the participants, while the second part aimed to elicit teachers' opinions on socioscientific issues. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine and summarize the qualitative data. The data obtained were presented in the form of a frequency table and interpreted through the use of teacher quotes. When analyzing the study results, it was noted that although socioscientific subjects were not frequently included in the curriculum, in-service science teachers often incorporated these subjects into their lessons. When examining in-service science teachers' knowledge about the use of antibiotics, it was observed that while most teachers possessed knowledge, there were also some who lacked sufficient understanding. When asked whether they would encounter difficulty in teaching the subject of antibiotic use, the majority of science teachers indicated that they would not, while approximately one-third of the participants expressed concerns about facing difficulties. For this reason, it was emphasized that antibiotic use should be included in educational programs. When we look at the teachers' knowledge about vaccination, it has been observed that there is a lack of knowledge on this subject and some of them feel inadequate in giving information to students. The science teachers who participated in the research emphasized the importance of integrating socioscientific issues into the science curriculum. They suggested various units where these subjects could be included.