Scepticism and the science of global warming: a rejoinder

This paper is a rejoinder to the three forum pieces stimulated by our original article in this journal: ‘Scepticism and doubt in science and science education: the complexity of global warming as a socio-scientific issue’ (Bryce and Day 2014). The articles by Colucci-Gray (2014), by Fensham (2014) and by dos Santos (2014), confirm the priority we attach to teaching about global warming at the present time and, in particular, the importance of developing rational scepticism in secondary school students while they learn about science. In providing additional thoughts as how best to achieve scientific literacy, the articles bring in further complications, adding to the debate and to the challenges for practitioners as they consider practicable classroom activities. As with scientists concerned about anthropogenic global warming (AGW), where there is a consensus of opinion but far from full agreement about what is happening and what should be done, educational researchers share some, but not all, of their thinking about how the complexities in the science can be most usefully handled by teachers. In the light of the comments, this rejoinder identifies areas where we seem to agree but focuses mainly upon those where there is dispute or difference in
emphasis. In the case of the latter, we make suggestions as to how these differences might be resolved. Where we feel that there has been some misrepresentation of our original arguments, we respectfully offer clarification and correction.