Our Lady of the Pillar College – Cauayan

Cauayan Campus (Main) l San Manuel Branch l San Agustin Branch

San Fermin, Cauayan City, Isabela l District 3, San Manuel, Isabela l Masaya Centro, San Agustin, Isabela
Tel. : (078) 652-0685; 652-3310; (078) 664-6089; Telefax : (078) 652-1748
Website: [Link]

Science, Technology
and Society

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Introduction
In this module we are going to deal with the interactions between
science and technology and social, cultural, political, and economic contexts that
shape and are shaped by them.

This interdisciplinary course will push you to confront the realities

brought about by science and technology in society. Such realities pervade the
personal, the public, and the global aspects of our living and are integral to
human development.

Scientific knowledge and technological development happen in the

context of society with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and philosophical
underpinnings at play. This module seeks to instill reflective knowledge in you in
the hopes that you will be able to live the good life and display ethical decision
making in the face of scientific and technological advancement. This module also
includes mandatory topics on climate change and environmental awareness.

At the end of this module you are expected to have sufficient

knowledge on the impacts of science and technology, specifically in the Philippine
society; explain how science and technology affect society and the environment
and its role in in nation-building; analyze the human condition in order to deeply
reflect and express philosophical ramifications that are meaningful to you as a
part of society; and define and demonstrate the impact of social media on your
life and Philippine society in general.

You are also expected to creatively present the importance and

contributions of science and technology to society; examine shared concerns that
make up the good life in order to come up with innovative and creative solutions
to contemporary issues guided by ethical standards; and illustrate how the social
media and information age impact your life and your understanding of climate
change.

It is also anticipated that at the end of this module you will imbibe
the importance of science and technology in the preservation of the environment
and the development of the Filipino nation; examine shared concerns that make
up the good life in order to come up with innovative and creative solutions to
contemporary issues guided by ethical standards; and lastly, illustrate how the
social media and information age impact your life and the understanding of
climate change.

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Chapter 1.4
Science and Technology
And Nation Building

Science and Technology are considered by many to be the forces for

improvement in the welfare of developing states. On the other hand, S&T are
equally feared by many to be potential contributors to the dehumanization of man
and degradation of environment. The state of science and technology determine
as part of the socio-economic progress of a country. It is a well-known fact that
national progress is highly correlated to the capacity of a country to produce local
industrial goods for domestic needs and that industrialization is very much
dependent on the capacity of a country to use science and technology to process
locally-found raw materials into high-tech products and tools for households and
other users.

Learning Outcomes:

➢
Discuss the role of Science and Technology in Philippine nation building.
➢
Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and technology in terms of
their contributions to nation building.
➢
Identify actual science and technology policies of the government and appraise
their impact on the development of the Filipino nation.

The Philippine Government and the Science

and Technology Agenda

STS – Science Technology and Society

Concept of Nation Building

In the contemporary world, S&T are key drivers to development. Development of S&T greatly
affects the conditions of people, specifically their way to live, connect and survive.

Philippines is one of the developing countries that is continuously addressing the persistent
problems of inequality and poverty. The Philippine government, as early as 1980s, prioritize the
initiatives on promoting the role of S&T in national development. The declarations in the 1987
Constitution, Article XIV acknowledges the significant role of S&T.

Section 10. Science and technology are essential for national development and progress. The State
shall give priority to research and development, invention, innovation, and their utilization; and to
science and technology education, training, and services. It shall support indigenous, appropriate,
and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s
productive systems and national life.

Section 11. The Congress may provide for incentives, including tax deductions, to encourage private
participation in programs of basic and applied scientific research. Scholarships, grants-in-aid, or
other forms of incentives shall be provided to deserving science students, researchers, scientists,
inventors, technologists, and specially gifted citizens

Section 12. The State shall regulate the transfer and promote the adaptation of technology from all
sources for the national benefit. It shall encourage the widest participation of private groups, local
governments, and community-based organizations in the generation and utilization of science and
technology.

Section 13. The State shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists, and
other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the
people, for such period as may be provided by law.

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

DOST is the primary S&T body in the country responsible for providing central direction and
leadership of all scientific and technological activities in the country.
It can be traced to the National Science Development Board (1958) which was later recognized
on 1982 as the National Science and Technology Authority. NSTA eventually elevated through
EO No. 128 signed by Pres. Corazon Aquino into DOST (1987).

Pillars of Development (PDP – AmBisyon Natin 2040)

1. Malasakit. Regain people’s trust in public administration and cultivate trust among
Filipinos.
2. Pagbabago. Inequality-reducing
transformation through increasing opportunities for growth of income.
2. Patuloy na Pag-unlad. Increasing potential growth through sustaining and accelerating
economic growth.

Philippine S&T agenda

STS – Science Technology and Society

DOST prepared the Harmonized National R&D Agenda (HNRDA) 2017-2022 to ensure that
the results of S&T endeavors are geared towards and utilized in areas of maximum economic
and social benefit for people. HNRDA is divided into five sectors:

Science Education
In the Philippines
international assessment studies and national
Importance of the School Science Education assessment studies.

Science is useful because of its links to Studies reveal that Filipino students have
technology and industry, which, from a national low retention of concepts, have limited
perspective, are areas of high priority for reasoning and analytical skills, and poor
development. Science provides ways of making communication skills (they cannot express
sense of the world systematically. It develops ideas or explanations of events and
students’ scientific inquiry skills, values and phenomena in their own words) (UP
attitudes, such as objectivity, curiosity, and NISMED, 2004). In addition, a large
honesty and habits of mind including critical percentage of Grade 6- and fourth-year
thinking. All these are useful to the individual students in selected schools cannot apply
student for his own personal development, concepts to real-life problem-solving
future career, and life in general. These skills, situations nor design an investigation to
values, attitudes, and dispositions are likewise solve a problem (UP NISMED, 2005).
useful to the community that an individual
student belongs to, and are further useful to the Many educators and graduate student
country that he lives in. researchers have identified several factors
behind the low performance in science of
The learning of science is also important for the Filipino students. These are: quality of
nation’s cultural development and preservation teachers, the teaching-learning process, the
of its cultural identity. Science is most useful to school curriculum, instructional materials,
a nation when it is utilized to solve its own and administrative support (DOST-SEI,
problems and challenges, keeping a nation's 2006).
cultural uniqueness and peculiarities intact.
Thus, in many countries, science teaching and There are many efforts by various
learning is linked with culture. stakeholders in science education to address
these concerns. The UP National Institute for
Challenges in Science Education: Philippines Science and Mathematics Education
Context Development with three major functions–
curriculum development, training and
Some Filipino students have gained recognition research in science and mathematics (UP
for their high level of accomplishments in the Board of Regents, 1997), designated as the
International Science and Engineering Fair, National Center for Innovations and
Robotics Competition, and Physics Olympiad, to Research (DOST SEI, 2005), deemed it wise
name a few. There are also reports of students to focus its efforts on the science curriculum
in far-flung rural schools scoring much higher to improve the quality of education at the
than the international mean in the case of the elementary and secondary school levels. The
Third/Trends in International Mathematics and curriculum dictates how instruction and
Science Study (TIMSS) or have gone beyond the assessment of student learning should be
75% mastery level in the case of the National done and guides service providers in
Achievement Test (NAT). designing professional development
programs for teachers.
However, the accomplishments of a few
students are overshadowed by the consistently
poor performance of Filipino students in

STS – Science Technology and Society

 INDIGENOUS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

• This lesson focuses on the indigenous science and technology in the

Philippines. Filipinos, especially during the early times, tried to invent
tools that will help them in everyday life.
• They also developed alternative ideas in explaining various phenomena
and in explaining the world around them.
• This system of knowledge is called indigenous knowledge, which
is the foundation of indigenous science.

WHAT IS INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE?

• Refers to the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by

societies with long histories of interaction with their natural
surroundings. For rural and indigenous people.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

• Embedded in the cultural traditions of regional, indigenous, or local

communities.
• Orally passed.
• Evident in stories, poems, and songs.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE THAT ARE TAUGHT AND PRACTICE BY

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

• Predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in

observing animal’s behavior and celestial bodies.
• Using herbal medicines.
• Preserving foods.
• Classifying plants and animals into families and groups.
• Preserving and selecting good seeds for planting.
• Using indigenous technology in daily lives.
• Building local irrigation systems.
• Classifying different types of soil for planting.
• Producing wines and juices from tropical fruits.
• Keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables.

WHAT IS INDIGENOUS SCIENCE?

According To:

• Gribbin, 2001; Mkapa, 2004; Sibisi,2004- Indigenous science is part

of the indigenous knowledge system practiced by different groups of
people and early civilizations
• Paliwen, 2005- It includes complex arrays of knowledge, expertise,
practices, and representations that guide human societies in their
enumerable interaction their natural milieu: agriculture, medicine,
naming and explaining natural phenomena, and strategies for coping
with changing environments.

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Paliwen (2006) simple framework about indigenous science.

• Ogawa 1995- He claimed that it is collectively lived in and experienced by the

people of a given culture.
• Cajete 2004- Indigenous science includes everything, from metaphysics to
philosophy and various practical technologies practiced by indigenous peoples
both past and present.
• Iaccarino 2003- collaborated this idea by explaining that science is a part of culture,
and how science is done largely depends on the cultural practices of the people.
• Johnston (2000)- indigenous beliefs also develop desirable values namely;

1. MOTIVATING ATTITUDES- practice of motivating people by influencing

their thoughts and behaviours.
2. COOPERATING ATTITUDES – it influences a person’s desire and willingness
to cooperate and produces an emotional response.
3. PRACTICAL ATTITUDES- making sensible decisions and choices.
4. REFLECTIVE ATTITUDES- a willingness to think about things that you
don’t understand.
• Khun 1962- Developmental stages of most sciences are characterized by continual
competition between a number of distinct views of nature, each partially derived
from, and all roughly compatible with the dictates of scientific observation and
method.
➢ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)- recognized indigenous science as a historical and valuable
contribution to science and technology.

Indigenous science is important in the development of science and technology in the

Philippines. Like the ancient civilizations, indigenous science gave birth to the development
of science and technology as a field and as a discipline. Indigenous science helped the
people in understanding the natural environment and in coping with everyday life.

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Selected Indigenous
Science and Technologies

Aerogas Catalytic Combustor (AAC) is an

anti-pollution, eco-friendly invention made
by Engr. Marinto C. Martinez. It is a fuel-
saver and power-booster device which can
be practically used in any internal
combustion engines such as those in
jeepneys, trucks and motorcycles.

Aerogas Catalytic Combustor (AAC)

Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt)

was created by Filipina scientist Aisa Mijeno.
The idea behind the SALt lamp is the
chemical conversion of energy. It utilizes the
scientific process behind the Galvanic cell,
but instead of electrolytes, the SALt lamp
uses saline solution, making it harmless and
non-toxic. This Electrochemical LED lamp
works by dissolving two tablespoons of salt in
a glass of water – a saline solution which
functions as electrolyte. SALt can provide
light up to 8 hours and is also capable of
charging smartphones and other low power
mobile devices using a USB cable.

Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt)

Source: ABS-CBN [Link]

This was invented by Atoy Llave,

who’s engaged in car customization
and desired to address the problems
of many commuters in a flood- prone
country. It can travel both on land
and in water. The Salamander has
two power plant choices: one electric
and one internal- combustion.
Boasting a six seating capacity (four
in water), the amphibious tricycle is
powered by either a 5kW electric
engine or a 250cc gasoline motor.
The Salamander, Amphibious Tricycle)
Source: [Link]

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Activity 1

Instructions: Create a digital collage/collage showing your perception on the role of

science & technology in nation building. Provide brief explanation for the collage.
Submit your output in our google classroom. Please be guided with the rubrics
below.

Criteria 5 3 1 Point/s

Quality of
Construction and
Design

Neat and
attention to
construction Outstanding
Satisfactory Fair

Appropiate
graphics were
constructed,
shaped, arranged
well

TOTAL POINTS

Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary reading

Pascual, A., Padilla-Concepcion, G.; Pernia, E., (2016). Knowledge-based development
and governance: Challenges and recommendations to the Duterte
administration, 2016-2022. Retrieved from
[Link]
McGinn, R. (2002).Social control of science and technology. Science technology and
society (Chapter 14, pp. 231-255).Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-
Hall,Inc.
Theodorve National Economic and Development Authority.(2016). Ambsyon Natin 20140
Vision. Retrieved from [Link]
2040/
Department of Science and Technology. (n.d.). Approved harmonized national ReD
agenda
2017-2022. Retrieved from [Link]
resources/downloads/ file/620-approved-harmonized-national-rd-agenda-
2017- 2022

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted
Online (synchronous)
//Edmodo and Facebook group
Remote (asynchronous)
//module, exercises, problems sets and ppt lectures

38

STS – Science Technology and Society

 Assessment Task
Instructions: Choose a partner and then decide which of the following topics your
dyad will be talking about in your video. Your video should be at least 5 minutes
short and 15 minutes long at most. You may insert sound effects and/or background
music. Submit it in our google classroom. Please be guided with the rubrics set
below.
A. Science and Technology and Nation Building
B. The Philippine Government and the Science and Technology Agenda
C. Science Education in the Philippines
D. Indigenous Science and Technologies
E. Any topic related above (Please inform your professor for topic checking
before proceeding with the recording)

Criteria 5 3 1 Point/s
Audio Quality

Voice Modulation

Time bound Outstanding Satisfactory Fair

Content
Delivery
Overall Impact
TOTAL POINTS

References:

Pascual, A., Padilla-Concepcion, G.; Pernia, E., (2016). Knowledge-based development

and governance: Challenges and recommendations to the Duterte
administration, 2016-2022. Retrieved from
[Link]
McGinn, R. (2002).Social control of science and technology. Science technology and
society (Chapter 14, pp. 231-255).Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,Inc.

Theodorve National Economic and Development Authority.(2016). Ambsyon Natin

20140 Vision. Retrieved from [Link]
2040/
Department of Science and Technology. (n.d.). Approved harmonized national ReD
agenda
2017-2022. Retrieved from [Link]
resources/downloads/ file/620-approved-harmonized-national-rd-
agenda- 2017- 2022

STS – Science Technology and Society