Page 489 - Canadian BC Science 9

council meeting or sign a petition to make your views known.
Over time, you can assess the effects of your actions: Are there fewer accidents on the salted/sanded roads? Does less salt end up in the water than when more salt alone is used?
A Process for Societal Decision Making
As you reached your decision, you went through various stages. Now you can think about how well each stage worked and how well you feel you completed each stage.
Examine the flowchart below. You can see that you used every step in this process. As with scientific inquiry and technological problem solving, having a process to use helps you to focus your thinking and stay on track.
A Process for Societal Decision Making
Identify the issue.
Gather relevant information.
Identify all the alternatives.
Consider each alternative by clarifying its consequences.
Make a decision.
Evaluate the decision.
Instant Practice—Making Societal Decisions
We live in an energy-intensive society. One of the most common sources of the energy we use is fossil fuel. Complete the following exercise in a group of four.
1. Start by dividing your group into two pairs.
2. One pair will brainstorm and record the advantages of fossil fuel use and how it has affected members of our society in a positive way.
3. The second pair will brainstorm and record the disadvantages of fossil fuel use along with its negative impacts on society.
4. The pairs will then regroup, and both sides can present their findings. Record key points on a chart for comparison.
5. Determine which pair has the more convincing evidence for its view of the use of fossil fuels.
6. As a group, brainstorm alternative energy sources, including advantages and disadvantages of each. Determine the best alternative, based on the information you have brainstormed in steps 2 and 3.
The decision is the best alternative based on risks/benefits and, thus, probable consequences.
Take action/Communicate the decision.
One or more of the steps in the decision-making process were faulty. No action should be taken and the process should be repeated to ensure that the faulty steps are eliminated and replaced by improved thinking.
Errors of judgement may have been made at any of these steps in the decision-making process.
Science Skill 4 • MHR 471