Abstract
High school science teachers, who have not been keen engage in STS education, often insist that there is virtually no time to treat it in their science classes because (1) there is much science content to teach and (2) STS education has no relevance for the University entrance examination. The aim of this paper is to present evidence which indicates that a significant number of essay tests on STS issues has been appearing in University entrance examinations. Content analysis of essay tests showed that (1) more than 20% of essay tests were on STS issues, (2) popular themes among STS issues in essay tests were natural and environmental protection, health and medical issue, science and scientific thinking, food-population-development issues, and science and technology assessment, (3) more essay tests on STS issues were found in the examinations of Science and Technology related faculties than in those of other faculties, and (4) faculty-specificity was found among STS issues in the essay tests. The results indicate that University entrance examinations are not free from STS issues. Though we realize that STS education should be taught to every high school student regardless of their taking the University entrance examination, and this finding will give a basis and motivation to science teachers to teach STS issues in high schools.
