ABSTRACT
Quantitative and qualitative studies of the public understanding of science have
been conducted in many countries. They provide important insights into the
extent to which lay citizens understand a number of important scientific concepts
and into the ways in which they seek and use scientific knowledge. This chapter
draws upon the outcomes of these studies to identify some of the dimensions of ‘cit-
izen science’, and to examine their implications for the form and content of school
science education.
